Month: May 2022

The presence of oil and combustible gases on offshore platforms means that the utmost attention must be paid to offshore fire suppression systems and protocols. In most cases, offshore fires and explosions are preventable, including one of the most notorious disasters; the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Inadequate offshore fire safety systems, insufficient training and poor communication/alarm networks can all contribute to a heightened risk of failure. The Oil Spill Commission highlighted a number of causes that led to the Deepwater Horizon incident, including inadequate infrastructure such as cement and valves, as well as the gas alarm failing and the leak not being detected early.

Offshore fire suppression systems

Offshore passive fire protection (such as fire-resistant coatings) is used to prevent fire from spreading. This is especially essential for protecting structural elements that provide an escape route.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), for offshore installations the most effective fire protection is water deluge. The lack of such active offshore fire suppression systems is not considered good practice. Additionally, active fire protection requires linked gas, heat and flame detection systems.

For water-sensitive areas, companies such as Honeywell provide clean agent fire suppression systems to extinguish fires.

Temperature and gas detection systems

Combustible or volatile gases can all pose risks to workers and result in devastating fires and explosions. Early detection of any problems is a must to ensure that workers and the surrounding environment is kept safe.

Carroll Technologies has searched the market to find the best quality gas detection equipment for offshore oil and gas industries that operate in adverse environments.

From MSA, Carroll supplies the Altair 4X and 5X multi-gas detectors for continuous monitoring of combustible or toxic gases, which also feature motion detection to alert others if the user has become immobile.

Honeywell supplies the BW Solo, which provides single gas detection for hazardous environments. The company also supplies temperature sensors, including temperature probes that operate under shock, vibration, humidity and corrosion, as well as thermostats that break electrical contact when a specified temperature is reached.

In the offshore oil and gas industry, workers will frequently be required to enter confined spaces for inspection and maintenance. As with any other part of an offshore platform, these workers need to be protected from any hazards that they may be exposed to.

Developing a confined space entry program involves being aware of the potential hazards in each unique area so that workers can be supplied with the most suitable equipment and training.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) outlines two kinds of confined space. First is a low-hazard non-permitted space, which is not designed for continuous employee occupancy and as such has limited or restricted means for entry or exit but does not contain atmospheric hazards. This may include areas such as tanks or storage containers.

A permit-required space contains at least one atmospheric hazard. This may include material that has the potential to engulf an entrant, internal configuration such that a worker could become trapped or asphyxiated, sloping floors to a smaller cross-section, or any other hazards such as exposure to chemicals in confined spaces.

Developing a confined space safety program

Once aware of the potential hazards in a confined space, employers can implement measures necessary to prevent unauthorised entry, provide training, develop procedures for safe entry, and provide and maintain confined space entry equipment,

Utilising and understanding procedures and training, workers should use the equipment they are supplied with to test and monitor oxygen content, flammability, toxicity or explosive hazards, as well as continuously be contactable by a trained attendant either visually or via phone/two-way radio.

Safety equipment for confined spaces in the oil and gas industry

Carroll Technologies provides everything that an offshore oil and gas facility needs to keep workers safe in confined spaces, from safety signage for exit routes to respirators and gas detection devices.

From MSA, Carroll supplies the Altair 4X and 5X multi-gas detectors for continuous monitoring of combustible or toxic gases, which also feature motion detection to alert others if the user has become immobile.

Pyott Boone Electronics (PBE) supplies an extensive range of two-way radio systems that provide complete communications coverage, so workers in confined spaces can continuously stay in contact with attendants. Models include the 111 Page Boss, fitted with a bullhorn speaker, and the 112 Page Boss Mine Phone, which features a sounder strobe for increased audible and visual alerts in noisy working areas.

For safety signage, National Marker Company (NMC) supplies custom signs in an array of materials, from plastic to aluminium, and in a range of colours.

To contact us for a quote or to discuss which products are best suited for your offshore confined space safety program, send an enquiry here or call 606-573-1000.

 

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide suitable personal protection equipment (PPE), which includes reliable respiratory devices if workers are exposed to hazardous atmospheres.

From airborne contaminates to toxic gases, respirators used offshore need to be rugged and reliable. A number of important choices need to be made to ensure that workers are supplied with safety solutions that are ideally suited to their job.

Depending on where on an offshore platform a worker is situated, they may require an industrial full-face respirator or a half-mask respirator. Additionally, employers have a choice between a reusable respirator mask or a one-use disposable respirator.

What types of respirators are available offshore?

One type of respirator used on offshore platforms and oil rigs is the supplied-air respirator, sometimes referred to as a powered air respirator. For these devices, the respirator is connected to an external source of air, such as a portable cylinder. Clean air is supplied to the user via a high-pressure hose connected to a head/facepiece.

Air-purifying Respirators (APR), or unpowered respirators, remove airborne contaminants so that workers can breathe safely. Depending on what a worker is likely to be exposed to, they may be supplied with either a particle-filtering respirator (PFR) or a gas and vapor filtering respirator.

Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) provide users with clean air when the atmosphere is deadly. SCBA respirators can also be classified as self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR) devices.

Types of SCBA respirators available include:

• Disposable respirators and reusable respirator masks
• Supplied air respirators
• Self contained self-rescuers
• Powered air purifying respirators
• Industrial full face respirators
• Half mask respirators

Where to buy respirators of the offshore oil and gas industry

Choosing the best quality respirators for each application can be a challenge, so many turn to safety experts who can ensure that the most suitable safety solutions are supplied at every step.

For respirators, Carroll Technologies provides solutions from MSA, experts in self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems. The company’s W65 Self-Rescuer Respirator is a one-time-use device that provides emergency respiratory protection. It is immediately ready for use after opening, so workers can stay safe even if they have limited warning time.

According to Carroll president Allen Haywood: “MSA has been a solid company for decades; we have a long-standing relationship with them. They provide not only W65 rescuers but all types of instrumentation, such as handheld spotters or monitors, which can check for an array of different gases.”

What is ground control in mining?

The definition of ground control in mining includes a broad set of practices that eliminate or reduce the risks associated with ground movements or ground failure. The equipment and operating procedures that a mine uses will depend on the outcome of inspections that determine risk levels, such as the properties of the local rock, rock stress and the depth of the mine, ground water, and a number of other factors.

Mining ground monitoring devices allow operators to continuously detect any changes and analyze the stability of an underground mine or tunnel.

Ground monitoring devices for mines

 

Simplified Mining Instruments (SMI) provides simple solutions for complex underground monitoring, offering a range of mining ground control devices.

The Miner’s Eye Borescope camera is used for the visual inspection of boreholes as small as 1-5/8 inches in diameter. By providing straight-ahead and 90-degree visualization with an on-screen distance measurement reading, mines have the information they need to assess the competency of roof geology and pillars.

For continuous rock monitoring, SMI offers the Miner’s Helper Extensometer, which is a single-point extensometer used to measure roof sag. The MHL utilizes a reflectorized rod that activates when a user-defined amount of movement occurs. The Miner’s Helper Remote Readable Roof Monitor is used to reliably measure rock strata separations or roof sag, enabling data to be gathered remotely. SMI also offers the Sag Flag, which provides a continuous indication of movement.

Where to buy SMI ground control devices for mines

 

As part of a new collaborative partnership, Carroll Technologies is able to supply a range of SMI products.

For more information about the distribution of SMI ground control devices provided through Carroll Technologies, or to find out which underground monitoring products are best suited for your mining operation, contact us below today.

 

Watch the video below to learn more about SMI’s Sag Flag Roof Monitor.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the most common hazards that workers at offshore oil rigs face are vehicle accidents, being struck by or caught between equipment, fires, falls, and chemical exposures. Ensuring that all workers are provided with suitable PPE equipment, such as eye protection, hearing protection, hand and foot protection, as well flame-resistant clothing is required by OSHA standards to keep oil and gas workers safe. 

PPE requirements for oil and gas industry

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide workers with suitable eye protection if there is a risk that they will be exposed to flying particles or hazardous substances. They must also provide gloves that are suitable for the individual’s job duties and work environment, as well as protective footwear for onsite workers who are around heavy objects or may be exposed to extreme temperatures or at risk of slipping.  

Workers on offshore oil and gas facilities may be exposed to unsafe atmospheric conditions, so they must be provided with suitable respirators, especially if they are working in a confined environment. 

PPE in oil and gas industry  

From high-quality protective clothing to rugged breathing apparatus, the oil and gas PPE market has reliable safety solutions for any application. Safety experts Carroll Technologies has searched the market to help its customers find the best solution for them. 

Offshore PPE equipment supplied by Carroll includes:

• Full brim hard hats (280-EV6161MC) 
• Electric-class gloves and maximum safety gloves (150-SK-2/12-KIT) (120-5150/L) 
• Nitrile foam gloves (09-K1630/L) 
• Arc Flash Kits (9150-52436/4XL)(9150-52436/2XL) 
• Safety glasses (250-28-0021) 
• Earplugs (267-HPR300C) 
• Face shields (251-01-5270) 
• MPS Centurion Vision hard hat 
• MPS Centurion Spectrum hard hat 
• MSA hard hats 
• NLT hard hards 
• 475369-B V-Guard Hard Hat 
• 475336 Comfo Cap Hard Hat 
• MSA’s Altair 4X and 5X Detector 
• W65 Self-Rescuer Respirator 

For respirators, Carroll Technologies provides solutions from MSA, experts in self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems. According to Carroll president Allen Haywood: “MSA has been a solid company for decades; we have a long-standing relationship with them. They provide not only W65 rescuers but all types of instrumentation, such as handheld spotters or monitors, which can check for an array of different gases.” 

For its range of wearable protective equipment, such as gloves, hearing protection and high visibility garments, Carroll Technologies supplies solutions manufactured by Protective Industrial Products (PIP). According to Haywood: “PIP supplies just about anything that is a personal protective device. It’s a good company that we’ve been relying on for protective equipment for many years.”