Daily Safety

Smoking Regulations in the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 06:51:00 +0000

Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer. It also can impact the circulatory and respiratory systems immediately. Exposure to secondhand smoke often occurs away from the home for nonsmokers, including inside the workplace. Smoking regulations are an important consideration for businesses, not only to set rules, but also to guard against secondhand smoke.
Purpose

Workplace smoking regulations spell out the specifics on whether is allowed in the workplace. For businesses that choose to allow smoking, the regulations should indicate where the activity is allowed. For example, you may restrict smoking to specific outdoor locations or require that the employees go to their vehicles to smoke. The company smoking policy also should include consequences if employees smoke when it is banned or engage in smoking in banned areas.

Legal Factors

Some states have established laws about smoking in the workplace, and these laws often govern both public and private places of employment. Other states focus primarily on public workplaces or allow for smoking in designated areas. Texas does not have a statewide workplace smoking ban, but a coalition of organizations called Smoke-Free Texas continues to push for such laws. Cities and municipalities also can enact smoking laws. For example, Houston prohibits smoking in enclosed areas of both public and private workplaces, as well as any outdoor space within 25 feet of any doors, handicapped ramps, functioning windows or intake areas for air conditioners.

Benefits

According to the American Cancer Society, there is no safe exposure level to secondhand smoke. Nonsmokers cannot avoid exposure when smoking is allowed on the premises. Smoking regulations in the workplace protect nonsmokers from the harmful side effects while they are on the job. The inability to smoke at work may encourage the smokers in the company to quit the unhealthy habit. The policy may also appeal to potential employees who don't smoke.

Actions

Create a written policy that addresses smoking in the workplace. All current employees should sign a copy of the policy to verify that they understand and agree to abide by the regulations. New employees should receive written details about the policy so they are aware of their inability to smoke at work. Allowing employees to smoke in designated areas still puts nonsmokers at risk for secondhand smoke exposure. Smoking near entrances causes exposure for other employees. Allowing any smoking indoors may lead to exposure even if nonsmokers aren't in the immediate area. Ventilation and air cleaning won't adequately remove the exposure risk.

* Shelley Frost, holds a BA in elementary education with a reading endorsement.

Safety Regulations in a Workplace, OSHA helps small businesses comply with their regulations.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 06:48:00 +0000

Most safety regulations in the workplace are enforced by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Safety regulations are meant to protect workers, while punishing businesses that put their employees in danger. Small business often have the hardest time conforming to ever-changing safety regulations because they lack the manpower and resources to hire their own safety inspectors, but the federal government offers free information to help businesses tackle safety issues.

During the 19th century and earlier, workplace safety regulations were almost nonexistent in the U.S., according to the Economic History Association. The first railroad regulatory commissions appeared the 1840s, but were hardly effective at improving worker safety since they had little legal authority. The first safety regulations appeared during the 1900s and 1910s, such as the formation of the Food and Drug Administration, but mostly to protect people working in dangerous jobs, such as railroads and mines, or as a response to whistle-blowing, muckraking journalists.

OSHA

In 1970, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which established the first federal body--OSHA--to oversee workplace safety, according to the Department of Labor. OSHA, or one of its state approved arms, enforces safety regulations. As of 2010, only the self-employed, families of farmers and those protected by other government agencies, such as the Coast Guard, do not fall under OSHA's jurisdiction.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

Because of the difficulties and expenses incurred by small businesses trying to implement OSHA regulations, Congress passed the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act in 1996, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBREFA offers small businesses more input in federal safety regulations via the SBA and a reduction in penalties for safety violations.

Benefits

Safety regulations not only offer workers a safer working environment, it saves small businesses time and money. Since the inception of OSHA, workplace accidents and fatalities have fallen 40 percent, according to All Business. In addition, each year, 6 million workplace injuries occur--costing Americans about $110 billion each year, according to the OSHA Small Business Handbook.

Tip

Small business can receive help from OSHA to improve their work site by simply requesting a free safety consultation, according to OSHA. OSHA recommends that employers allow employee to participate in the OSHA inspection so they are better informed about safety issues and spotting hazards, and so OSHA can gauge the safety knowledge of the current staff.

* Russell Huebsch, graduated from Baylor University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

Wooowww....Girls Killed In M25 Crash Horror ! Buuussssseettt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 12:13:00 +0000

Two young sisters were killed today when they were thrown from a car in a horrific crash which closed the M25.

The girls, thought to be aged six and 10, were hurled up to 20 feet from the car as it overturned at high speed and spun onto the embankment. A man in his mid-to-late-twenties who was in the back seat was also killed. He had to be cut from the wreckage.

The driver is being treated in hospital after the accident w hich happened on the clockwise section of the orbital motorway, between Potters Bar and Enfield, atabout 3am.

Traffic police closed a nine-mile stretch of the clockwise carriageway of the M25 between junctions 23 and 25 in Hertfordshire.

They said the section was likely to be closed until at least mid-morning while investigations into the cause of the accident continued.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "The girls died instantly. It was a terrible sight. The car was completely w recked. The driver was in complete shock. At this stage,it is unclear what caused the car to crash, but no other vehicle was involved."

After overturning, the car spun off the carriageway and up an embankment. It rolled over several times before coming to rest 20 feet up the embankment on the hard shoulder.

Roadside workers raised the alarm and helped police and fire officers in the rescue effort.

The ambulance spokesman for Bedfordshire ambulance service praised five workmen who raised the alarm and helped in the rescue effort.

"They had been on duty on major roadworks nearby and were there when the ambulance arrived," he said. "They were absolutely excellent.."

The M25 has been plagued by crashes throughout the summer. Three weeks ago an entire section was shut for a day after a car and lorry collided between junctions 16 and 17 at Gerrards Cross.

OSHA Topic ; Osha Safety Topics : Worker killed by truck; company says it’s answered enough OSHA questions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 03:26:00 +0000

You know that if injuries or a fatality bring OSHA to a workplace, its inspection won’t necessarily be limited to conditions involving that particular incident. Despite that being common knowledge, a Nebraska company is fighting OSHA’s attempt to interview two of its managers.

A lawyer for Farmers Cooperative Co. in Talmadge calls OSHA’s attempts to interview its manager and assistant manager about safety practices not connected to the death of an employee a “fishing expedition.”

Here’s the history behind this case:

Employee Roger Teten was killed on Jan. 29 after a truck backed into him.

In May, OSHA sent subpoenas to the two top managers, leading to a deposition on June 5. The managers answered questions about Teten’s death at the deposition.

However, when questions turned to other safety matters at the cooperative, company lawyer James Luers told the two managers not to answer them. Luers said the additional questions would only lead to more OSHA citations.

(Actually, it would only lead to more OSHA citations if the answers to the questions pointed to any additional violations.)

A document obtained by the World-Herald News Service quotes Luers as saying, “Every time the management has interviewed in the past, they (OSHA) utilize that interview to support their citations. And quite frankly, it’s unfair.”

In response, OSHA noted it has broad investigative powers, and the OSH Act allows use of the federal court system to enforce OSHA subpoenas. Ignoring OSHA subpoenas can lead to a finding of contempt of court, which then can lead to fines and jail time.

Luers said the basis for his objection to further questioning of the two managers was the Fifth Amendment, the right against self-incrimination.

OSHA noted there are no criminal charges in this case, so the Fifth Amendment doesn’t apply.
The whole thing is now in the hands of a federal judge.

One note: Farmers Cooperative says, on the matter of the employee death, it’s been working completely with OSHA. Luers says it’s turned over all sorts of documents about the death and the two managers answered questions in June for three hours.

Difficult for employer to win

The OSH Act says OSHA can obtain information from employers provided the investigation is within the agency’s authority, which has been interpreted by at least one federal court as relevant to any inquiry OSHA is authorized to make.

Therefore, it’s unlikely an employer will win a challenge to the scope of a subpoena.And, as OSHA inspectors have said publicly at safety conferences, if you really want to challenge them to find as many things to issue fines for, just stand in their way when they want to perform an inspection.
If it were easy to turn away OSHA inquiries, the standard advice wouldn’t be to be ready for OSHA to inspect your facility, even when you haven’t had injuries or a fatality.

Forklift Certification : ForkLift Certification Which New reg On Top Of OSHA's Priority List ?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 03:09:00 +0000

OSHA has a lot of proposed new regs in the pipeline, from silica exposure limits to injury and illness prevention programs. Now we have an idea of the order in which they will receive action.
OSHA has released its Spring 2013 Regulatory Agenda. Yep, it came out in July, more than two weeks after spring ended, but that’s been the pattern. The Fall 2012 agenda came out a few days into winter.
Running a little later than expected also seems to be the theme when you compare the two lists. Many items are the same. Some deadlines stated in the Fall 2012 list have since passed. Most items have been pushed back a few months.
Nevertheless, whether the predicted target dates for action stick or not, it’s instructional to check out the agenda. Noting how the proposed regulatory changes are categorized and the order in which they are supposed to be enacted provides a realistic look into OSHA’s priorities, even if the time schedule is little more than wishful thinking.
Those on the “final rule” list are closest to becoming new rules. There are nine items on that list. Four of them involve procedures for the handling of retaliation complaints. The other five are:

Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements; NAICS Update and Reporting Revisions (July 2013): This regulatory revision has two parts: 1) Use NAICS instead of SIC system to categorize industries that are partially exempt from maintaining occupational injury and illness records, and 2) Require employers to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work-related fatalities and all work-related in-patient hospitalizations; and within 24 hours, all work-related amputations. The current regulation requires an employer to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three or more employees.
Electric Power Transmission and Distribution; Electrical Protective Equipment (proposed final rule date July 2013): The construction industry standard addressing the safety of workers during the construction of electric power transmission and distribution lines is nearly 40 years old. OSHA has developed a revision of this standard.
Walking Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems — Slips, Trips and Fall Prevention (November 2013): New technologies and procedures have become available to protect employees from these hazards. OSHA has been working to update these rules to reflect current technology.
Confined Spaces in Construction (December 2013): In 1993, OSHA issued a rule to protect employees in general industry who enter confined spaces. This would extend the rule to the construction industry.
Vertical Tandem Lifts (April 2014): In 2011, a U.S. Court of Appeals remanded two provisions of the VTL final rule: the inspection requirement with respect to ship-to-shore VTLs and the total ban on platform container VTLs. OSHA is reopening the record to assess the technological feasibility of those two provisions.

These proposed regs are followed by those in the Proposed Rule stage which are in their comment period or are waiting for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which sets the comment period timetable.

Consensus Standard Update — Signage (comment period ends July 15, 2013, with final rule expected to take effect on Sept. 11, 2013): OSHA would update references to consensus standards involving certain types of safety signage but would grandfather signs conforming to the current standard.
Silica (NPRM July 2013): OSHA proposes to update the permissible exposure limit for silica for general industry. In the Fall 2012 Regulatory Agenda, OSHA expected to release the NPRM in May 2013.
Improve Tracking of Injuries and Illnesses (NPRM July 2013): OSHA is proposing changes to its reporting system for occupational injuries and illnesses. A modernized electronic reporting system would be put in place.
Beryllium (NPRM October 2013): Similar to the silica proposal, this would update the PEL for beryllium.
Injury and Illness Prevention Program (NPRM January 2014): OSHA is developing a rule requiring employers to implement an I2P2 for their workplaces. These would be similar to safety management systems some companies already have in place.

Some other rules that are farther behind in the pipeline:

Combustible Dust (small business review scheduled to start in November 2013): The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) completed a study of combustible dust hazards in late 2006, which identified 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that killed 119 workers and injured another 718. Although OSHA can cite companies for combustible dust hazards, the agency doesn’t have a specific regulation addressing them.
Review/Lookback of OSHA Chemical Standards (request for information scheduled for August 2013): The majority of OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) were adopted in 1971, and only a few have been updated since then.

Safe Tools And Quick Fix Tool Care

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 06:20:00 +0000

Home-Repair And Safety Tips

Safe Tools
The first rule of tool safety is to buy good quality, as suggested at the beginning of this chapter. You don't have to buy the best, but lowest cost can often mean lowest value. The best value is typically higher-quality tools and equipment purchased at a discount. It's also important to use your tools correctly. It may be tempting to use a screwdriver as a chisel, but doing so can damage the tool and, more important, damage you.

Also, never remove the safety guards installed on power equipment, and always wear safety goggles when working with power equipment. Safety glasses should also be worn when sanding, filing, or doing any other job that produces flying particles. Make sure your safety glasses wrap around the sides to keep deflected particles from reaching your eyes from any angle.

Once you've purchased high-quality tools and learned how to use them properly, you're good to go -- right? Not quite. The most dangerous tool is one that isn't well maintained. A dull saw is less safe than a sharp one. A hammer with a loose handle can do more damage than one in good repair. A power tool with a frayed cord can electrocute you. So, be diligent about tightening loose parts, fixing damaged cords, and sharpening dull blades.

Quick Fix Tool Care

Quality tools aren't cheap. Fortunately, with care, they can last many years and be a better long-term investment than cheap tools. Here are some useful tips on tool care.
Protect your tools from moisture. Keep a thin coating of oil on metal parts, wrap them in plastic wrap, or keep carpenters' chalk or mothballs (both of which absorb moisture) in your toolbox.
A piece of garden hose slit open is a handy protective cover for the teeth of a handsaw between projects. Circular saw blades store conveniently in heavy shipping envelopes.
To remind yourself to unplug an electric drill when changing accessories, fasten the chuck key near the plug end of the cord.
Tack rags will last longer if they're stored in an airtight container to keep them from drying out. Airtight storage also prevents spontaneous combustion, which can be very dangerous. (This safety tip applies equally well to other rags, coveralls, work gloves, and any other clothes that might absorb flammable oils and solvents.)
Don't take a chance of hitting a thumb or finger when hammering a small brad, tack, or nail. Slip the fastener between the teeth of a pocket comb; the comb holds the nail while you hold the comb. A bobby pin or a paper clip can be used the same way as a comb.

Safe Ladders

A sturdy stepladder will make lots of quick fixes easier, from changing lightbulbs to painting a room to cleaning gutters to replacing a smoke alarm battery. If you don't already own one, get one. Invest in a good ladder, and use it for all those out-of-reach projects.

Most home-use ladders are made of wood or aluminum. Depending on quality, both types are reliable. Aluminum, however, weighs only 20 to 50 percent as much as wood, which means it's easier to take it in and out of storage or move it around. On most good ladders you'll find labels that indicate a rated strength. For example, a Type I industrial-grade ladder, rated at 250 pounds, is the strongest. A Type II commercial-grade ladder is rated at 225 pounds; Type III is rated at 200 pounds. Fortunately, each type has actually been successfully tested at four times its rated load. For around-the-house purposes, invest in security and durability and buy a Type II ladder. One that's 6 feet tall will do for most homeowners, but taller ones -- 8, 10, 12, and all the way up to 16 feet -- are available. For an extra measure of safety, get one with rubber or plastic feet so your ladder won't skid on hard floors.

If you're painting a ceiling from a single stepladder, you'll find yourself going up and down like a yo yo, constantly moving the ladder to reach unpainted areas. A safer alternative is to buy a second ladder of the same size. Then, using a pair of 2-by-8-foot boards, make a scaffold between them -- a platform from which you can paint for longer periods of time by moving from one end of the bridge to the other. For stability, don't make your scaffold higher than is absolutely necessary and no longer than 6 to 8 feet in length. Use C-clamps to fasten each end of the 2-by-8s to a rung of each ladder.

Using Ladders Safely

There's no such thing as an absolutely safe ladder. Gravity is always an unrelenting enemy. However, below are ways to greatly reduce your risk of accidents and injury with ladders.
Always open a stepladder to its fullest position, lock the spreader braces on each side in place, and pull down the bucket shelf.
Whether you are going up or coming down, always face the ladder head-on, and use both hands to hold onto the side rails or rungs.
Don't climb higher than two rungs from the top; don't sit or stand on the top or the bucket shelf.
To keep yourself from overreaching and getting off balance, never let your navel go beyond either of the ladder's side rails.
If you must work on a ladder in front of a door, lock the door.
Put the paint can or tray on the bucket shelf before you climb the ladder. And don't go up the ladder with tools in your hand or in your pockets.
Always open a ladder to its fullest position and always face the ladder head-on.

Electrical Safety

Electricity can help you -- or it can hurt you. An appliance can make your coffee in the morning. A frayed cord can electrocute you. Here are some rules for working safely with electricity.

Never work on an electrical circuit that is live or attached to an electrical source. Unplug the circuit, trip the circuit breaker, or unscrew the fuse before you begin working.

Use only equivalent replacement parts. That is, replace a controller with one that has the same function and rating. Don't replace a 10-amp appliance cord with one that is rated for 5 amps.

Some appliances use capacitors, which are electrical components that store high voltage. Touching a charged capacitor, such as those in a microwave oven, can electrocute or burn you.

Carefully check all loose wires for related damage or stress, and reconnect them using electrical tape, wire nuts, or other enclosing fasteners. Not only can a loose wire break an electrical circuit, it can also injure you if you touch it while it is energized or hot. Loose wires are caused by vibration or other factors.

Most important, think before you act. Electricity follows strict laws. You must follow the same laws in order to repair electrical systems safely.

Using common sense and the right tools will help you tackle home improvement repairs or projects safely and with confidence.

Daily Safe : Radiation Safety Handling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Alpha particles ( a ) are relatively slow and heavy.
They have a low penetrating power - you can stop them with just a sheet of paper.
Alpha particles can not penetrate your skin. Due to the low penetrating power of Alpha particles, they are generally not a cause for concern, unless you ingest some material that emits Alpha radiation.
For the most part, materials that emit Alpha particles, also emit some Beta or Gamma radiation.

Beta particles ( b ) are fast, and light.
Beta particles have a medium penetrating power - they are stopped by a thin sheet of aluminum (such as aluminum foil) or plastic. Beta particles can penetrate deeply into your skin.

Gamma rays ( g ) have a high penetrating power - it takes a thick sheet of metal such as lead, or concrete to reduce them significantly.

Preparation

Clearly label containers, equipment, and areas for the handling of radioisotopes with radioactive labeling tape. The labeling tape can be obtained from your institution stockroom or through an appropriate vendor. Minimize radioactive material work-space.
Use absorbent material (benchcoat) and trays to confine spills and reduce the spread of potential contamination.
Wear protective clothing. The minimum requirements include a laboratory coat, safety glasses and close-toed shoes. Wear disposable gloves, either single or double pair, depending on the radionuclide you are working with. Choose gloves that are appropriate for the chemical and other hazards in your experiment. If you are unsure about the type of protective glove to use call the Radiation Protection Office (RPO) at 495-2060.
Traps to collect radioactivity may be necessary (as required under some permits) (e.g.: vacuum line traps). If a trap is not available, contact the RPO.
Dedicate equipment such as pipettes and glassware to radioactivity work and avoid cross contamination.
Plan your experiment so that mixed waste (i.e. hazardous chemical or biologically active combined with radioactivity) is not generated. If this cannot be avoided contact the Radiation Protection Office (RPO) for further assistance.

Equipment / SuppliesEquipment / Supplies

A Liquid Scintillation Counter for low energy beta radiation.
Portable Survey Meter with appropriate probe(s).
Disposable latex or plastic gloves.
Luxel Dosimeter (and finger ring, if assigned).
Lab coat, safety glasses, and close-toed shoes.
Containers for radioactive waste.
Pipettes dedicated to the use of your radionuclide.
Safety glasses (to protect from splash and shield from beta radiation).

Work Practices Work Practices

Change your gloves often. Assume gloves are contaminated until proven otherwise. Do not leave the laboratory or touch things outside of the work space with potentially contaminated gloves. Remove gloves carefully from the inside out. Ensure that gloves are disposed of properly and wash hands immediately.
Do not eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, or touch exposed areas of skin while working in a room where radioisotopes are handled. Be careful not to rub your eyes, scratch exposed areas of skin, or touch your hair when working with radioactive material.
Use automatic or remote pipetting devices. NEVER pipette by mouth.
Allow sufficient time for frozen stock solutions to thaw before attempting to withdraw an aliquot. If you are working with 35S-methionine, Cysteine, and Translabel® refer to the related worksheet for 35S volatility.
Handle volatile compounds, which have the potential for vapor or gas release (such as Na125I or 35S-Methionine or Cysteine) in a functioning hood.
Handle and dispose of spin (centrifuge) columns with care. Place used columns in a sealed container (capped tube or Ziploc® bag) prior to discarding into the radioactive waste.

Post-Work

Promptly dispose of radioactive waste properly. Make a reasonable estimate of the amount of
radioactivity in the waste and record on a radioactive waste tag.
Lock-up and secure your radioactive stock solutions immediately after use.
Survey yourself and work area for contamination with an appropriate survey meter. Decontaminate if necessary. Remove protective clothing and wash hands thoroughly with warm water and soap before leaving the laboratory.
Note the results of your survey on your personal survey record of the work area. This is required if you are working with more than 1 mCi.
Sink disposal must be done according to the approved guidelines. Do not exceed the posted daily limit for the radionuclide, unless otherwise authorized by the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) in the permit.
Participate in the bioassay program as requested by the Radiation Protection Office.

Basic Principles of Radiation Measurement : type of detector

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Radiation entering the detector will ionize the gas and produce positive ions and negative ions (electrons). The number of ions to be generated is proportional to the energy of the radiation and inversely proportional to the gas ionization power. Gas ionization power range from 25 eV s.d. 40 eV. The ions produced inside the detector will contribute to the formation of an electrical pulse or electric current.

Primary ions produced by radiation will move towards the appropriate electrodes. The movement of ions will cause pulses or electric current. The movement of these ions above can take place between two electrodes when there are enough electric field. When the electric field the higher the kinetic energy of the ions will be even greater to be able to hold another ionization.

The ions produced by the primary ion is referred to as secondary ions. If the electric field between two electrodes the higher the number of ions produced by a radiation would be very much and called the 'avalanche'.

There are three types of detector gas field working on different areas which rooms ionization detector, proportional detectors, and detector Geiger Mueller (GM).

Room Ionization detectors (Ionization chamber)

As shown in the above gas characteristic curve, the number of ions produced in this area is relatively small so that a high pulse, when applying pulse measurement models, very low. Therefore, typically, measurements using ionization detectors applying current way. When you will use this detector pulse by pulse amplifier is needed is excellent. The advantage this detector is able to distinguish between the energy entering and working voltage required is not too high.

Proportional Detector

Compared with the above ionization region, the number of ions produced in the region is more so proportionately higher pulse will be higher. The detector is more often used for measurements by the pulse.

Seen on the characteristic curves above that the number of ions produced is proportional to the energy of the radiation, so that the detector is able to differentiate radiation energy. However, that is a loss, or a high number of ion pulses produced is strongly influenced by the working voltage and power voltage for this detector must be very stable.

Detector Geiger Mueller (GM)

The number of ions produced in this area very much, reaching a value of saturated, so the pulse is relatively high and require no amplifier pulse again. The main disadvantage of this detector is unable to distinguish the radiation energy into it, because regardless of the amount of energy it produces ions with saturated values. These detectors are the most commonly used detectors, because of the electronic terms is very simple, do not need to use the amplifier. Most of the equipment measuring radiation protection, which should be portable, made of Geiger Mueller detector.

Scintillation detectors

Scintillation detectors always consists of two parts, namely the scintillator and photomultiplier materials. Scintillator material is a solid substance, liquid or gas that will produce sparks of light when subject to ionizing radiation. Photomultiplier is used to change the spark of light generated scintillator material into electrical pulses. Radiation detection mechanisms scintillation detectors can be divided into two stages:

* The process of changing the radiation detector to spark a light in the scintillator material and

* The process of changing spark of light into electrical pulses in the photomultiplier tube

Scintillator material

Scintillation process in this material can be explained by Figure 4. In the crystal scintillator materials are ribbons or area named as the valence band and the conduction band are separated by a certain energy level. In the ground state, the ground state, all electrons in the valence band while the conduction band is empty. When there is the radiation that enters the crystal, there is a possibility that some of the energy will be absorbed by the electrons in the valence band, so it can jump into the conduction band. A few moments later the electrons return to the valence band with energy band activator materials while emitting sparks of light.

Spark of light is proportional to the amount of radiation energy absorbed and influenced by the type of material sintilatornya. The bigger the more spark energy is light. Sparks of light are then 'captured' by the photomultiplier.

Here are some examples of scintillator materials are often used as a radiation detector.

Crystal NaI (Tl)

Crystalline ZnS (Ag)

Crystal Lii (Eu)

Organic scintillator

Liquid scintillator (liquid scintillation)

The detector is very special compared to the other types of detectors for liquid. Radioactive sample to be measured first dissolved into liquid scintillator so that the sample and detector into a single unit of a homogeneous solution. In this measurement geometry can achieve 100% efficiency because all the radiation emitted by the source will be "captured" by the detector. This method is needed to measure samples b low-energy radiation such as tritium and C14.

Issues that must be considered in this method is the reduced quenching the transparent nature of the solution (liquid scintillator) as it gets mixed samples. The more concentrated the sample concentration will deteriorate the level of transparency so that the spark produced light can not reach the photomultiplier.

Photomultiplier tubes

As discussed earlier, each scintillation detector consists of two parts, namely scintillator materials and photomultiplier tubes. If the scintillator material serves to convert radiant energy into light the spark photomultiplier tube is used to change the spark of light into a beam of electrons, which can be further processed as a credit / electric current.

Photomultiplier tube is made of a hollow tube with a light-proof photokatoda which serves as input on one end and there are several such electrons to double dinode contained in Figure 5. Photokatoda attached to the scintillator material, will emit electrons when it is light with a suitable wavelength. The resulting electrons are directed, with a potential difference, towards dinode first. Dinode it will radiate some secondary electrons when the electrons are.

Secondary electrons generated will go dinode dinode first second and then multiplied to dinode third and so that electrons are collected at the last dinode amount to very much. With a collection of electrons capacitor will be converted into electrical pulses.

Semiconductor Detectors

Semiconductor materials, which were found relatively more recent than the above two types of detectors, made from group IV elements in the periodic table, namely silicon or germanium. This detector has several advantages, namely more efficient than gas field detector, because it is made from solid, and has a better resolution than scintillation detectors.

Basically, insulating materials and semiconductor materials can not forward an electrical current. This is due to all the electrons in the valence band while the conduction band is empty. The difference in energy levels between the valence band and the conduction band in the insulator material is very large so it does not allow electrons to move to the conduction band (> 5 eV) as shown above. Instead, the difference is relatively small in the semiconductor material (<3 eV) to allow electrons to jump into the conduction band where to get additional energy.

Radiant energy entering the semiconductor material is absorbed by the material so that some electrons can move from the valence band to the conduction band. When in between the two ends of the semiconductor materials are a potential difference, there will be an electric current flow. So in this detector, the radiation energy is converted into electrical energy.

The connection is made by connecting the semiconductor N-type semiconductors of the type P (PN junction). The positive pole of the external voltage is connected to the negative pole, while N-type to P type as shown in Figure 7. This causes the charge carriers are attracted to the positive (negative pole) while the negative charge carriers are attracted to the lower (positive pole), forming (depletion layer) layer charge on the connection PN empty. With the blank layer charge this then there will be no electric current. If there is ionizing radiation that enters the empty layer this charge will be formed new ions, electrons and holes, which will move to the poles of positive and negative. Additional electrons and holes is what will lead to the formation of pulses or electric current.

Because of the power or the energy required to produce these ions is lower than the ionization processes in the gas, then the number of ions produced by the same energy will be more. This is why semiconductor detectors are very meticulous in distinguishing the radiation energy about him or known to have high resolution. As an illustration, scintillation detectors for gamma radiation typically has a resolution of 50 keV, that is, the detector is able to distinguish the energy of the radiation that enters the two when both are having different radiation energies greater than 50 keV. Medium semiconductor detectors for gamma radiation typically has a resolution of 2 keV. So it looks that much more thoroughly semiconductor detectors to distinguish radiation energy.

In fact, the ability to distinguish the less energy required in use in the field, such as radiation surveys. However, for other purposes, for example to determine the type of radionuclides or to determine the type and grade of material, this capability is absolutely necessary.

The weakness of the semiconductor detector is more expensive, its use should be very careful because it is easily damaged and some types of semiconductor detectors must be cooled to the temperature of liquid nitrogen dewar necessitating large enough.

Excellence - Weakness Detector

From the discussion above shows that each of the radiation is converted into an electrical pulse with a height proportional to the energy of radiation. It is a phenomenon that is ideal because it is in fact not the case. There are several characteristics that distinguish one type of detector with other detectors are efficiency, speed and resolution.

The efficiency of the detector is a value that indicates the ratio between the number of pulses of electricity generated to the amount of radiation detector receives. Detector efficiency value is determined by the geometry and density of the detector material. The geometry will determine the amount of radiation that can be 'captured' so that the surface area of the detector, the higher the efficiency. While the density of the material affects the amount of radiation detectors that can interact to produce an electrical signal. Materials that have a density detector closer will have a higher efficiency as more radiation interacts with the material.

Speed detector indicates the time interval between the arrival of the radiation and the formation of an electrical pulse. Interact with the radiation detector speed also affect the measurement because if the detector response is not fast enough, while the intensity of the radiation is so high it will be a lot of radiation that are not measurable despite the detector.

Detector resolution is the ability of the detector to distinguish between adjacent radiation energy. A detector is expected to have a very small resolution (high resolution) so as to distinguish accurately the radiation energy. Resolution of the detector caused by the statistics of events that occur in the process of conversion of radiation energy, noise from electronic circuits, as well as the instability of the measurement conditions.

Another aspect to be considered is the construction of the detector because of the complicated construction or design of the detector will be more easily damaged and usually also more expensive.

The following table shows the characteristics of several types of detectors are generally based on several considerations above.

Selection of detector should consider the advantages and disadvantages as well as the specifications table above. For example, the detector used in portable measurement tool (easy to carry) is a best gas field detector, the detector used in measuring instruments for natural radiation (very low intensity) is preferably scintillation detector, while the detectors in spectroscopy systems for materials should analyze semiconductor detector .

Safety Regulation : Occupational Health and Safety Law

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Occupational health and safety (K3) is an instrument that protects workers, the company, the environment, and society about the dangers of workplace accidents. Protection is a basic human right that must be met by the company. K3 aims to prevent, reduce, and even nullify the risk of workplace accidents (zero accident). The application of this concept should not be taken as prevention of occupational accidents and occupational diseases that are expensive (cost) of the company, but should be regarded as a form of long-term investments that benefited the rich in the future.

How K3 legal perspective? There are three main aspects, namely K3 legal norms of safety, occupational health, and the real work. Safety norms is a means or a tool to prevent occupational injury allegedly caused by the negligence and work environment that is not conducive. The concept is expected to nullify accident thus preventing the occurrence of defects or death to workers, then place and prevent damage to work equipment. This concept also prevents contamination of the environment and communities where health kerja.Norma expected to be a powerful instrument to create and maintain the health status of work as high.

K3 to the prevention and eradication of occupational diseases, such as noise, lighting (light), vibration, humidity, and others that can cause hearing damage, respiratory problems, lung damage, blindness, damage to body tissue caused by beam ultraviolet, skin cancer, infertility, and others. Norms relating to labor management. K3 in this context relates to the matter of setting work hours, shifts, working women, youth employment, overtime arrangements, analysis and management of the environment, and others. These things have a close correlation to the events of the accident.
The existence of K3 actually coincided with the industrial revolution in Europe, notably the UK, Germany and France as well as the industrial revolution in the United States. This era marked a shift in the use of large-scale production machines replacing human labor. Workers simply acts as the operator. The use of the machines produced goods in the amount doubled compared to that done earlier workers. IndustriNamun Revolution, the impact of the use of the machines is unemployment and the risk of accidents in the workplace. It can cause physical disability and death for workers. Also it can cause a huge loss for the company. The industrial revolution also marked by increasingly found chemical compounds that can endanger the safety and physical and mental health workers (occupational accident) as well as the community and the environment.

At the beginning of the industrial revolution, K3 has not become an integral part of the company. In an era in workplace accidents only regarded as accidents or occupational risk (personal risk), not the company's responsibility. This view is reinforced by the concept of common law defense (CLD), which consists of contributing negligence (contributions negligence), fellow servant rule (employment provisions), and the risk Assumption (assumption of risk) (Tono, Muhammad: 2002). Then this concept evolved into the K3 employers liability is the responsibility of employers, workers / employees, and the general public that is outside the context of Indonesia kerja.Dalam, K3 consciousness actually been around since the Dutch colonial government. For example, in 1908 the Dutch parliament urged the Dutch government to impose K3 in the Dutch East Indies were marked by the publication Veiligheids Reglement, State Gazette No.. 406 In 1910.

Furthermore, the Dutch colonial government issued several legal products that provide protection for the safety and health are regulated separately by each economic sector. Some of them are related to the transportation sector that regulates traffic perketaapian as stated in the Algemene Regelen Betreffende de Aanleg en de Exploitate Spoor van voor Algemene en Tramwegen Bestmend Verkeer in Indonesia (general rules concerning the establishment and firm Trains and Trams for general traffic Indonesia) and Gazette 1926 No.. 334, Schepelingen Ongevallen Regeling 1940 (Ordinance Accident Seafarers), State Gazette No. 1930. 225, Veiligheids Reglement (Regulation of Employment Security in Factory and Workplace), and so on. High Concern In the early days of independence, K3 aspects of strategic issues and not become a part of humanity and justice. This is understandable because the Government of Indonesia is still in transition structuring political life and national security. Meanwhile, a new national economic wheel movement initiated by the national government and the private sector.

New K3 is a major concern in the 70's in line with the height of the capital investment and the adoption of national industry (manufacturing). This development has encouraged the government regulation in the areas of employment, including setting K3 issue. It is stipulated in Law no. 1 Year 1070 on Occupational Safety, while labor legislation earlier as Law Number 12 Year 1948 on Labor, Law no. 14 Year 1969 on Basic Provisions Regarding Labor does not state explicitly classified as K3 concept kerja.Setiap norm workplace or company must implement K3 program. The workplace is very broad dimension covers all workplaces, whether on land, underground, above ground, in water, in the air or in space.

K3 legal arrangements in the context of the above is in accordance with the sectors / areas of business. For example, Law no. 13 Year 1992 on Perkerataapian, Law no. 14 Year 1992 on Traffic and Transportation (LLAJ), Law no. 15 Year 1992 on Aviation and its other implementing regulations. In addition to the above nexus sekor, regulations related to the K3 is also found in other sectors such as mining, construction, agriculture, manufacturing industry (factories), fisheries, and other lain.Di current era of globalization, national development very closely with the development global issues such as human rights (Human Rights), the environment, poverty, and labor. Global competition is not only limited to the quality of the goods but also include the quality of care and services. Many multinational companies are only willing to invest in a country if that country has a high concern for the environment. Also sensitivity to the workers and the poor. Because it is not impossible if there is a company that cares about K3, put this in the first place as a condition of investment.

Dozen things parents can do to solve the preschool whimper

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:36:00 +0000

12 things parents can do to solve the preschool whimper :

1. Perform introspection.
Parents reflect on what he had done in assisting the child to know his world, already tepatkah or missing. Remember, parenting is an example / model closest to the child.

2. Spend time with children.
Actually, not the length of time together, but more on the quality of care you provide. Although only briefly but if sincere, it's better than the old but memorable imposed. If you are really tired and need to rest a little, well frankly tell the child, "Honey, Mama was so tired. Mama a quick break ya, later that night we play together." But remember, the promise must be kept. Once broken, the child would be difficult to believe with you.

3. Give understanding.
Place the child as a partner who can be consulted. Use language that is simple and easy to understand children. During the discussion, ask what his hopes of children. If you need to make a deal bersama.Misal, "Mom should not work, but on holidays, when Mama specially given to Brother." Thus the child continues to feel loved and appreciated.

4. Teach your child to express feelings in a positive way.
Keterampila Train a child in speech, so in the end the child can express what she feels better. Although children may not understand the feelings, you should still be done. Melati child expresses feelings from an early age will help children to be more assertive later.

5. Encourage children to talk or discussion.
Encourage children to talk when the whining / crying has subsided or are relaxed. Kala talk or discussion, use simple language and easy to understand. Reveal what is your desire. For example, "If Big Brother wants something, to say yes, not by whining. Nah, brother wants what? Come on, talking to Mama. If sister cry, Mama know how."

6. Teach children to resist the urge.
Children should know, not all wishes can be fulfilled. You'd better come clean, why can not fulfill her desire.

7. Pay attention to each child demonstrated good behavior.
Praise when he was not fussy or when he spoke well and express that you are happy. That way kids learned that good behavior endeared people around him. He also knows, to get the attention can be done in a better way, not with a whimper.

8. Ignore the bad behavior of children.
Ignoring a child who was crying / fussing also required. Here children learn, by whining or crying, he would not gain anything. Later when her tears had subsided, only you go and ask for whining. If you are too hebih or rush to pay attention, the child will learn that crying is a way to get prompt attention from people around.

9. Be firm and consistent.
When children want something and you do not allow, then Hold on, even if the child began to cry and whine. Because, once you are no firm or consistent, the child will learn that whining is the way lo get what you want. So, when children behave negatively, never hooked. After a long time the child will learn that his way is not going to work "steal" the attention of parents. For this to be effective should be done by anyone who is in the immediate neighborhood, both caregivers, grandparents and uncle-aunt, and other family members.

10. Divert attention.
When children whine, you could also persuade him to do other activities that attract attention / interest, such as reading a book, looking at the plants in the garden, playing in the yard. Sure, in a way that is proportional to persuade, not excessive.

11. No label.
Label a child with the words "sissy" does not necessarily make children so whiny. On the contrary, often labeled, children become increasingly lazy to change his behavior. He'll think, "What changed so baseball crybaby? I've been labeled a whiny child, too!" So, avoid the label. Better, change the child's behavior in a positive direction.

12. Avoid violence.
Both physical abuse (hitting) and nonphysical (scold, berate) should be avoided, because it is not solve the problem but it adds to the problem. Children are beaten not necessarily be whining subsides, usually even harder. Not a deterrent effect but the lessons learned that can be passed to solve the problem of violence. Remember, kids are great imitator. Whatever is done will be a model for her parents.

Safe Safety Search For Your Kids and More Internet Safety Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 05:37:00 +0000

Using the safe browsing feature above ensures that Google SafeSearch is always "on". There are 3 levels of safe search filtering: Off (no filtering), Moderate (filters images only), and Strict Filtering (filters both text & images).

When conducting searches apart from this site on Google's main page, check your computer settings.

To implement SafeSearch on every computer in your school, simply have all students conduct Google Internet Searches from SafeSearchKids.com

Internet Safety Tips for Kids - Safer Search at Home and at School!

Implement the use of Google SafeSearch by bookmarking this page here for your kids to use whenever they search online. Using this website ensures that Google SafeSearch is always turned on and always set to the most strict filtering setting.
If your child is conducting searches on Google's main site at google.com, make sure your search settings are set to "strict filtering" at http://www.google.com/preferences.
Do not replace parental or teacher supervision of computer use at home or at school with this safe search engine or any other. No search filtering software or tool is perfect.
A good rule of thumb is to not allow internet use when a child is home alone without proper supervision, even with this Google for Kids search engine.
Keep your computer in an open area. If your computer is in a home office, make a rule that doors are always left open when online. Learn about YouTube parental controls.
It's not a good idea to allow computers or laptops in your kids bedrooms, even while using the free internet filter, unless they are close to the main area of the house such as the kitchen or living room with doors left open.
Be careful of allowing your kids to search for images online. Use Googe Safe Image Search for added protection.
Do not allow internet use after you've gone to bed at night no matter how good your computer security software is or how confident you are in kids search engines.
Learn how to turn on safe search for times when your children are not using this website to conduct their searches.
Consider installing a safe browser for kids or a complete security program such as Safe Eyes providing anti-virus protection as well as internet filtering.
Do not allow file sharing programs to be installed on your computer. Only use safe and secure music download programs from trusted sources on the internet. Learn more about safe music downloading.
If your child is searching for videos on YouTube, learn how you can activate YouTube parental controls.
Have an open conversation with your kids about safe browsing and computer use. With freedom comes responsibility.
Report inappropriate website that appear in our search results to create the safest search engine possible.

Internet Security Software Solutions - Internet Safety for Kids!
This site offers two computer security solutions to assist in kids internet safety on the internet, whether at home or in schools. The goal is ensure internet security for kids as well as computer security on or offline. We understand computer security is a top priority for children and teens alike.

The first solution is safe browsing implementing the use of Google SafeSearch for Kids. Simply use the search box above where safe search is always turned on, or click here for our secure safe search page with less graphics. Bookmark google safe search on your child's computer at home or at school.
The second way to protect your kids online is family internet filtering. Implment the use of Internet Security Software which blocks mature websites. For something more simple, we recommend KIDO'Z - the safe browser for kids. KIDO'Z includes pre-loaded safe websites with the ability for parents to add additional favorites.

Safety Zone and Warning : A Dangerous Form Of Shock Theraphy-Seofaty.com

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:27:00 +0000

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesian officials are scrambling to find a solution to the latest dangerous trend in Jakarta: people who roam the city's railway tracks looking for free "electric therapy."

As many as several dozen people per day intentionally try to electrocute themselves along the rails, according to local media reports, because they believe it can cure all kinds of diseases, from diabetes to high-blood pressure to insomnia. When trains approach, people briefly step aside but rush back quickly into a sleeping position on the tracks to feel electrical currents they believe will cure their ailments.

Residents say the unorthodox—and dangerous—practice started with a local rumor about a man who tried to kill himself by lying on the tracks. He was fed up after suffering paralysis from a stroke and medical treatment failed to cure his symptoms. He allegedly decided that being crushed by a train would be better than continuing his misery. But while lying on the tracks, he suddenly felt cured, according to the hearsay. It's unclear whether any elements of the story were true.

Dozens of Indonesians intentionally electrocute themselves on rail tracks every day, local media reports say.

As word of the supposed miracle spread, train tracks in slum areas in northern Jakarta became trendy as impromptu clinics. Until recently, more than 50 people would show up at the city's Rawa Buaya tracks every day. The numbers have dropped recently, since police and the state-run railroad erected a warning sign, but some people still come, convinced the tracks can cure them.

There is no medical or scientific evidence to support the treatment, says Murti Utami, a spokeswoman for Indonesia's Health Ministry. Officials have forbidden people to enter the site and threatened penalties of up to three months in prison or fines of $1,800, but it is difficult to police train tracks in Jakarta, which stretch out in all directions across the city, often with people living bunched up alongside.

"We encourage these people to seek professional medical help," Ms. Utami said. Indonesia offers free health care for its citizens, so anyone in need should go to a government clinic, she said.

However, Indonesians have long complained about the quality of care in government-run clinics, which they say are under-funded and crowded. Like many other developing countries, Indonesia continues to have high rates of preventable disease such as dengue and tuberculosis. Indonesian health standards in some instances lag behind neighboring countries, with high maternal mortality, according to the World Health Organization. Many people can't afford more sophisticated medical care than is available in government clinics.

Moreover, Indonesians often flock to quacks and quirky cures. In February, four people died in a stampede when thousands of people sought to meet a boy shaman called Ponari—believed to be in possession of a special healing stone—after he was struck by lightning (he survived).

The 12-year-old boy rose to fame after he began practicing as a child healer with what many believe were supernatural powers capable of curing any illness. Thousands flocked to his home in Kedungsari village, in Jombang, East Java. His healing powers were supposedly delivered by dipping the stone into water, then rubbing it against ailing body parts. People collected water from his shower in the hopes of obtaining a cure for their illnesses, even though there was no medical explanation for the treatment. Many patients have claimed to be cured by the practice, however.

Indeed, some Indonesians put more trust in their faith healers and herbal-medicine doctors than in Western medicine. Indonesian officials believe education would help overcome the distrust of Western medical practices, Ms. Utami said.

Seo Google Safety : Calibration Basic|Information|Safety|Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Introduction

It is quite unlikely that you will ever use an absolute method for gas detection. Rather, you will employ any one of dozens of “relative” [or “reference,” but not necessarily EPA Reference] methods—that is, methods that produce some output that must be calibrated against a known standard. Then, its display can be directly read out in units of concentration, usually parts-per-million (ppm).

Even though proper calibration is 90% of successful gas detection, it is a subject that has been neglected—often purposely—by the majority of instrument manufacturers. There’s a good reason for this, of course: Proper calibration can often be difficult and expensive. But, we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.
Gas Blends in Cylinders

Early occupational health toxic gas detection focused on carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The calibration standards were supplied as gas blends in cylinders, and in the case of CO, at least, things worked out pretty well. This is because CO is not very reactive, and, within reason, maintains a stable concentration in the cylinder, as the pressure drops with use.

On the other hand, H2S is very reactive, and the original simplistic techniques used to create the cylinder gas blends could not provide a stable product. The problems observed with H2S blends were soon seen in blends for many other toxics. To make matters worse, improper analogies were drawn between experiences in combustible gas detection and toxic gas detection, establishing a false sense of security about poorly prepared gas blends.

In fact, other than the obvious point that both combustible and toxic gas detection get involved with detecting gases, the two fields of endeavor could not be more different.

The combustible gases of interest are nearly all stable (unless they are ignited by some external source), while nearly all toxic gases are unstable, and in many cases are extremely reactive. Most importantly, though, combustible gas detection is done in percent level concentrations, while toxic gas detection is done in parts-per-million, and even parts-per-billion concentrations—10,000 and 10 million times lower, respectively!

Fortunately, calibration gas blending technology has improved, encompassing specialized techniques for passivating the cylinders, as well as logging experience to determine how long a blend must age to become stable, and how long stability can be guaranteed. Much of the technological development has been done with aluminum cylinders, since this material seems to be less prone to wall effects and unwanted chemical reactions than steel.

Interscan can recommend good gas blend suppliers, but no matter what company you choose, the following points are important:

Order the blend so that the concentration is about 50% of the instrument’s measuring range.Ensure that the blend’s analysis is ± 2% accurate (or better).Insist on NIST–traceability.Obtain a written guarantee as to how long the blend will be stable.Since most of the cost of the blend is in the analysis labor, order the largest cylinder you can use. Stay away from disposable cylinders, which just become a solid waste problem. After all, we ARE in the environmental business!Before you order, ask for references for the exact blend, or one that is similar, and check them.

Permeation Devices

Some material courtesy of VICI Metronics

Certain toxic gases are not well-suited to being stored in cylinders, and cylinder blends are cumbersome to re-standardize, in that a separate (usually wet chemical) analytical method is required. In addition, some instrument users need a source for several different calibration standards. These situations call for permeation devices.

Permeation devices are small, inert capsules containing a pure chemical compound in a two phase equilibrium between its gas phase and its liquid or solid phase. At a constant temperature, the device emits the compound through its permeable portion at a constant rate. This rate can always be determined via differential weighing at constant temperature. Permeation devices are typically inserted into a carrier flow to generate test atmospheres for calibrating gas analyzer systems.

These devices are discussed in some detail in our Tech Center. Typical applications for Interscan analyzers include calibration for bromine, chlorine, formaldehyde, hydrazine, hydrogen bromide, and hydrogen chloride. Many Interscan customers who do not wish to perform their own permeation device calibration—although it is always recommended to calibrate on site—can take advantage of our Electronic Calibration Service (ECS).

Note that having calibration facilities on site provides the best possible answer to the question “How do I know that this monitoring system actually works?” You can challenge the system with a known concentration of gas at any time.
Zero Gas

As you can imagine, if your measurement range is in the low ppm (or less), accurately zeroing the instrument is of vital importance. Consider that it is not a trivial matter to remove contaminants such as carbon monoxide from air below tenths of a ppm.

Zero air can be obtained from the same vendors who manufacture gas blends. We would make the following recommendations:

Tell your supplier your target gas and measuring range, and have him suggest the proper zero gas for your application.
Ask for a written analysis of the zero gas. Ideally, there will be specific information and not just a series of “less thans.”
As we noted for your calibration gas, before you order, ask for references for applications as close as possible to your own, and check them.

Hard Cases

There are compounds that will present challenges. Hydrazine, for example, done correctly, requires an expensive and elaborate set-up, and a skilled operator. Chlorine dioxide is unstable, and although in situ calibration methods are available, great care is required to produce accurate results. Known concentrations of ozone can be generated, but it is not cheap.
How Frequently Should You Calibrate?

In general, the lower your measuring range, and the greater accuracy you desire, then the more frequently you should calibrate. Calibration monthly is a good median recommendation, and bi-monthly is even better. When we say “calibration,” we mean a good patient effort, that allows for sensor and instrument stabilization, to get a good, solid, reproducible reading. So-called bump tests, that challenge the instrument with some unknown, but high concentration of gas prove little, and can often be misleading. For the most part, these are NOT recommended.

In certain cases, less frequent calibration will still afford satisfactory results. Feel free to discuss this at any time with our service department.
In Conclusion…

The bad news is that calibration for some chemicals can be difficult, yet it is essential for proper gas detection. The good news is that we are here to help.

Goggle safety Education : Safety Device / How To select Gas Detectors / Safety Goggles/ safety

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Gas detectors have been around for a long time, starting with that infamous methane sniffing canary, which sadly was a one-shot device, which when subjected to methane, tended to die rather quickly with no audio and visual alarm capabilities other than a slight cheep and a total lack of motion. Fortunately technology has advanced significantly and we find ourselves at this point in time with some very sophisticated electronic equipment. But even the most sophisticated technology is useless if the sensors used are unable to detect the gases present. The three main atmospheric hazards that you test for prior to and throughout a confined space entry are:

Combustibles (Flammables)
Eg: Methane

Propane
Gasoline
Various other site-specific hydrocarbons (specific to your industry)

Oxygen – Deficiency and enrichment

Toxics
Eg: Hydrogen Sulfide

Carbon Monoxide
Toxic Hydrocarbons
Various other site-specific toxics (specific to your industry)

Depending on its sensor configuration, proper gas detection equipment can help identify the hazard
and protect your workers. Selecting a gas detector should be based on the hazard faced. Unfortunately far too many purchasers make one of the largest and most crucial single equipment expenditures without really understanding what they are buying. Sensors and their capabilities are the single most important factor when choosing a gas detector, yet more often than not, decisions are based on size,
price, bells and whistles and other such features that have nothing to do with the instrument’s detecting abilities. Gas detectors come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colours and sensor configurations. For confined space work, it is necessary to monitor for oxygen deficiency/enrichment, combustible gases and toxics. Therefore an instrument capable of dealing with these three hazards is necessary.

SENSOR TECHNOLOGY
Combustible Gas Sensors
a) Catalytic Combustible Gas Sensors.
These sensors look for explosive atmospheres. They detect combustible gases by causing an actual
combustion of gases within the sensor chamber. Catalytic sensors offer good linearity, and can react to most combustible gases. However, as resistance change to %LEL is quite small, they work better in concentrations between 1,000 and 50,000 PPM. They do not measure trace amounts of gas (under 200 PPM) and therefore are of no use in determining toxic levels. The disadvantages are:

They must have a minimum of 14% oxygen content in the air to work accurately the sensor can be damaged by lead or silicone or other catalytic poisons
the readings can be affected by humidity and water vapour condensation they respond poorly to low energy hydrocarbons such as oil vapours, kerosene, diesel fuel and commercial
jet fuels
they tend to loose their linearity after a year or so
they are not recommended for use in an acetylene atmosphere

The flame arrestor will prevent ignition of most gases except acetylene outside the sensor. It is extremely important to check the approvals for which type of hazardous locations the detector can function in. Most portable gas detectors today will be certified for service is Class I, Div I, Group ABCD atmospheres.

b) Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Combustible Gas Sensor MOS or “Solid State” Combustible Gas Sensors have been around for years. This sensor has a long operation life (3 to 5 years), is very rugged and will recover better from high concentrations of a gas that could damage other types of sensors. There are also disadvantages:

MOS sensors also require oxygen to work accurately, although not as much as the catalytic
some sensor’s heating elements have a high demand for power which requires larger battery packs
the readings can be affected by humidity and water vapour condensation
the MOS sensor may respond to many VOCs, HFCs and solvents, but is not specific to any single compound.

c) Infra-Red Combustible Sensors
Recently Infra-Red Sensors have begun appearing in some instruments. They work well in low oxygen levels or acetylene atmospheres; however, they are quite expensive. These sensors work by reflecting light off a mirror and measuring the amount of light adsorbed during refraction. Infrared sensors typically require a constant flow across the sensing assembly and may be slow to clear from alarm. They are unable to detect hydrogen. An Infra-Red sensor calibrated for a simple hydrocarbon such as Methane or Ethane will not be accurate for vapour of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, solvents or fuels.

Toxic Sensors
a) Electrochemical (Wet Chem) Toxic Sensors
These sensors react to a specific chemical (substance). Chemically specific sensors are available for up to 30 different gases including chlorine, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. The manufacturer’s technical information will indicate what sensors are available for their unit.

4 SENSOR PORTABLE
COMB, H2S, CO, O2
These sensors have very good linearity, which makes them very accurate for the substance they will react to. They can measure either large or small quantities and these sensors have a typical life span of approximately 1 year for many toxic gases and up to two years for hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. As with all sensors, Wet Chem sensors have their limitations. The electrolytic fluid can freeze when left in environments having temperatures lower than 0 degrees C. Some chemical sensors may be adversely affected by altitude as they may be pressure sensitive. Abnormal readings are another issue with regards to Wet Chem sensors. Abnormal readings are generally readings that don’t make sense. For instance you are working in a sanitary sewer and your instrument is showing a CO reading of 300 PPM (current TWA in Ontario is 35 PPM) and a low reading (below the TWA of 10 PPM) of hydrogen sulfide. What you likely have is an interference from the hydrogen sulfide. Some electrochemical carbon monoxide sensors are subject to interference from low levels of hydrogen sulfide. The knowledge that carbon monoxide is not a common occurrence in sanitary sewer applications (whereas hydrogen sulfide is) would lead you to consider that you are probably having an interference problem. In some instances, oxidizers like chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone can cause opposite readings on such toxic sensors such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. Awareness of the hazards in your workplace, some basic understanding of chemistry, knowing what interfering gases adversely affect your unit and strict testing protocols will minimize this problem.

b) Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Toxic Broad Range Gas Sensors
There are a number of different MOS sensors on the market and one has been developed for detecting toxic gases. Its make-up and operation is similar to the one used for the detection of combustible gases. However, the MOS broad range toxic sensor is capable of reacting to low PPM levels of wide range of toxic gases including carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, styrene, toluene, gasoline and many other hydrocarbons and solvents. MOS sensors cannot detect carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide. The sensor is incapable of telling you what gas you have encountered or the concentration, only that the atmosphere may be hazardous to your health.

C) Photo Ionization Detectors (PID’s)
Industrial Hygienists, Safety and Environmental professionals and others have used Photo ionization sensor technology for evaluating atmospheric hazards in the workplace since the 1960’s. Life expectancy of these sensors is 1-3 years and costs range between $300 and $1400 for lamp replacement. They are usually too costly to use in a multi-sensor instrument. Oxygen Sensors
Oxygen sensors are the only true chemically-specific sensors. They are similar to the electrochemical (Wet Chem) sensors described previously. They are also susceptible to freezing, are sometimes affected by altitude and have a nominal operational life of one to two years. Never use an oxygen sensor to detect toxic gases. It is true that a toxic gas will displace the oxygen in a confined space. However, it takes 60,000 PPM of any gas to lower the oxygen from 20.9% (normal) to 19.5% (alarm point). More importantly, 60,000 PPM of any toxic gas will kill you.

DESIGNING A GAS DETECTOR
Let’s build a gas detector for confined space work. To start out it will require a combustible sensor. We previously described the three types of combustible sensors available and their features. However, for confined space work, any of the three technologies will provide adequate protection. Secondly, we need an oxygen sensor to detect both oxygen enrichment and deficiency. There are several manufacturers of oxygen sensors and while they may all look different, they are essentially the same technology and will work well. To complete this instrument we will require a toxic sensor(s). The key to safe confined space gas detection lies in these toxic sensors. There are two main sensor types used in multi-sensor instrmuments electrochemical (Wet Chem) and Broad Range (Solid State MOS).
To select the correct toxic sensor we need to evaluate our confined spaces. If your area of work is an industrial site, where the toxic gases are known or can be controlled, then a chemically specific toxic sensor can be chosen (providing a sensor exists for that gas hazard). Manufacturers produce gas detectors that are capable of supporting one or two of these chemically specific sensors. Some instruments are available with a range of plug-in sensors that can be changed in the field without fuss or calibration. Other instruments must be ordered with the specific toxic sensor(s) you require. However, there is a limit to the sensors available and, if toxic hydrocarbons or solvents are a concern (common to municipal water and waste water systems as well as industrial applications), then the broad range (MOS) type may be your best bet. If you are in an area where the toxics are unknown or cannot be controlled, such as storm and sanitary sewers, pumping stations, waste treatment plants, industrial sites with toxic hydrocarbons and the like, then the broad range (MOS) type is your best solution. Unlike the chemically specific electrochemical sensors, these sensors cannot differentiate one toxic gas from another but they will tell you whether it is safe to enter or it is time to get out. The broad range sensors have their limitations as well and cannot detect any of the dioxides, i.e.:
carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide. It must be noted that a gas detector with a combustible sensor
will not protect you from toxic levels of hydrocarbons. A classic example is gasoline. Gasoline used to have a TWA of 900 PPM. It is now considered a carcinogen. A combustible gas detector, calibrated to methane, will not alarm on gasoline until around 50% of the LEL or 5000 to 7000 PPM. This is well in excess of the old TWA and is certainly an
even bigger problem now that it is rated as a carcinogen. Regardless of its cancer causing issues, this level can cause a worker to be rendered unconscious, potentially causing death through drowning or falling. The only toxic sensors capable of detecting these low levels of hydrocarbons are the broad range.

SAMPLING METHODS
In confined space testing it is important that the operator know how the sensor comes in contact (operation) with the atmosphere. There are three primary means of exposing the sensor to the atmospheresample draw, diffusion and a detachable remote diffusion sensor assembly. There are strengths and weakness in all systems. Selection should be based upon need, not availability. Sample Draw The most common form of sampling a confined space is the sample draw method. The advantage of this method is that any monitoring is performed outside the space. With a sample draw system, a pump moves the sample from the atmosphere and draws it through a hollow tube to the sensor. The pump can either be a “bulb” hand aspirator which requires squeezing or an internal motorized sample pump. Drawing the sample to the detector protects the tester by eliminating the need to enter the space and limits any movement of the door/cover to the space that may create a spark, which could ignite flammable gases that may collect around the entry point. For these reasons, the sample draw method is recommended when conducting your pre-entry test. The primary disadvantage of this method is sample dilution. The tube leaking or using a tube over 12’ in length may reduce the concentration of some contaminant to the point where the readings presented are inaccurate. Other problems may include leaking pumps, cumbersome sample lines, and in some environments, the sample line may plug due to sludge, dirt or condensate icing. A disadvantage of the manual sample draw methods is the effort involved moving the air sample along the tube to the sensor. A general rule of thumb is that it takes 3 pump strokes to move the sample 1 foot. If your line is 12’, it will take 36 pump strokes to get the sample to the sensor, then the sampling must continue for up to 3 minutes to ensure a proper undiluted sample. If you are using a bulb hand aspirator strong
wrists are both a requirement and the end result of a lot of entries.

Sensor Operation

5 SENSOR PORTABLE
O2, COMB, H2S, CO, MOS TOXIC
Most gas detector sensors operate by diffusion. Diffusion works by air being absorbed into the sensor
cell. Electronic gas detectors rely heavily on diffusion sampling. The atmosphere must be brought to the gas sensors by the aforementioned sample draw (aspiration) or by lowering the gas detector into atmosphere. Some manufacturers offer a detachable remote sensor assembly as a means of remote sampling. Advantages of this technology include the lack of pumps and moving parts, much faster response time than aspiration and wires can carry the information with no potential of diluted readings. The sample method is still diffusion but the sensors are lowered into the atmosphere to be tested. Once the atmosphere has been tested by aspiration and/or remote sensors, the gas detector can be worn by the worker for the duration. Because each sampling method has its own strengths and weaknesses, all techniques are used to monitor the atmosphere. The sample draw is used for the pre-entry test that occurs just inside the space at the doorway. (suggestion: use a 6’ or shorter tube). Diffusion sampling occurs at all other times. Regardless of sampling techniques, spaces two to three meters deep should be tested top and bottom before entering. Spaces four to five meters deep should be tested top, middle and bottom before entering. Calibration/Bump Test All portable gas detectors should be calibrated according to the manufacturers recommendations. Not calibrating or bump testing a gas detector on a regular basis is an invitation to disaster. Sensors and/or electronics can, and do fail and it is only prudent to check your instrument on a regular basis.
a) Bump Test
A bump or field test is the application of a known gas concentration in excess of the calibrated alarm
point of the instrument. When this gas is applied to the gas detector it should trip the alarm point ensuring that the instrument is functioning correctly. If it does not then it indicates that a re-calibration is necessary. Multiple gas mixtures are available that allow you to do a simultaneous Bump test with one canister of gas. It is a good policy to bump test at least once a week.
b) Calibration
Calibration should be performed as per the manufacturers recommendations. Calibration is done with
a known gas concentration that can be at the exact alarm point or at a higher concentration where the set point can be adjusted. This varies between manufacturers. If you are Bump/Field testing on a regular basis you can wait until that tests indicates a re-calibration is required. If Bump/Field test are not performed then the unit should be re-calibrated on a regular basis. Manufacturer’s recommendations vary from daily to never. Daily may not be practical and never, while time saving can be an invitation to disaster. Somewhere in between is the answer. Every three to six months is common.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
The third component to consider in gas detector selection is design characteristics. Many gas detectors are sold solely upon these characteristics. The reason for this is that many gas detector manufacturers do not make their own sensors. They design and make the electronic box of the gas detector. The following characteristics should be considered after selecting the appropriate sensors:

Construction
Electronics
Approvals
Ease of use

a) Construction
Monitoring devices must be very rugged and easily carried by the workers. Even with training and the best intentions of the workers, field use does abuse the units. Drops, jolts, exposure to the elements, misuse, etc., all can shorten the life of the instrument. The case and its components must be constructed to withstand rough handling. The unit’s alarm systems, which should be both audio and visual, must be loud enough to be heard in your environment by either the attendant outside the space or the entrant(s) inside. In a perfect world, both attendant and entrant would hear the alarm. Some manufacturers have remote alarms that could enable both the attendant and entrant to simultaneously hear the alarm. The option is only worth the money spent if the remote wiring is long enough for all your spaces. Batteries are another consideration. Batteries can be either disposable or rechargeable but either type should supply enough power to last 10 to 12 hours. If the batteries cannot last the entire work period, a back up or stand by power source must be present. Batteries have all sorts of limitations. Many units have no way to determine the charge in them; cold and age decrease battery life; lead acid batteries can leak and damage your electronics; NiCad (rechargeable batteries) can develop memories and so on. Battery maintenance costs and efforts should be evaluated very carefully to ensure your system will work when required. The new nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries appear to have cut down the memory problems found in the older NiCad rechargeable batteries. For confined space work, gas detectors need to be portable (hand held). If the unit is designed to be worn by the worker, it should rest on their belt, not weigh it down. In many tight spots, the worker should not wear the device as it may create a catch point. It may be advisable to have the ability to hang up the unit inside the space. Switches, buttons and knobs should be positioned or designed so that they cannot be knocked out of position, but one can still operate them with gloves on. The unit should be tamper resistant and default to an alarm mode in the event of battery or sensor failure. Gauges and/or displays should be large and easily read and understood. This means you must be able to not only see the displayed data, but also understand it. In confined spaces there are all types of lighting. Does the information show in all lighting situations? And finally, do the abbreviations make sense or do you need an explanation card on the detector? If the information cannot be understood, it may not be performing the job that it is intended to do.

b) Electronics
Information provided must be reliable and useful as life and death decisions can be made based on the data provided. The electronics’ response time, accuracy, precision, radio frequency (RF) interference, reading drift and sensitivity are all factors that can differentiate a poor purchase from a good investment.

c) Approvals*
Once a manufacturer has developed an instrument for use in a hazardous atmosphere, it should be approved by an independent laboratory for intrinsic safety. Ie: UL, FM, CSA, TUV, MET etc. Federal OSHA in the USA identifies such approval laboratories as “NRTL” (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories) and lists four pages of them on its website.

d) Ease of Use
One of the most important considerations after sensor evaluation and selection is the ease of use of the instrument. Is it simple to operate? Is it simple to understand? Are the buttons/switches easy to use with gloves on? Do you have to use switches or buttons to get alarm information? Will it alarm when battery/sensors fail? Most importantly, is it one switch operation?

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
RF Protection
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) protection is the unit’s ability to protect the readings from interference caused by radio waves, pulsed power lines, transformers, and generators. RF protection is expressed in immunity to x watts of radio transmission at a specific distance. A prudent consumer should test a gas detector in and around cell phones, radios and walkie talkies before purchasing, especially if the gas detector is packaged in anything other than metal.

Response Time
4 SENSOR PORTABLE
COMB, O2 AND ANY 2 OF 13
FIELD INTERCHANGEABLE
TOXIC SENSORS

This is the time period between obtaining data from the sensors and displaying it. This time period
depends on what information is collected, the sensor response, how the unit of measurement being used (e.g. % LEL or PPM). Response time can range from several seconds for catalytic elements to minutes for some toxic sensors. Accuracy and Precision Accuracy is the relationship between the readout and the true concentration. This relationship is indicated by an error factor (indicated by “+/-“,e.g. +/- 0.5%). The lower the number, the greater the instrument’s accuracy. Precision is the number of times the accuracy would be right in any given number of tests (correct 19 times out of 20). In this case the higher the number, the greater the precision.

Sensitivity
This is the unit’s ability to accurately measure changes in concentrations. The hazards presented by
the substance being measured would determine the need for sensitivity. For instance, at present in Ontario, chlorine has a time weighted average exposure value of 1 PPM and if is IDLH at 10 PPM; therefore, any change must be noted at once. On the other hand, carbon dioxide’s TWAEV is 5000 PPM, and is IDLH at 40,000 PPM; therefore the sensitivity need not be that great.
Selectivity/Specificity This is the ability of the sensor/circuitry to respond to the desired target gas to the exclusion of other interfering gas species.

Reading Drifts
This is the movement in the instrument’s electronic readout when the atmospheric value remains the
same. Moving the instrument from one angle to another, shaking it, ambient vibrations or no apparent reason may cause the readout to change. Poor electronic circuit board design and/or age of the machine or the sensor will cause the readings to drift. Sensor or component aging causing this problem is acceptable and can be compensated for as part of the unit’s ongoing maintenance program; however, poor construction is not acceptable. Poor construction cannot be repaired and creates mistrust of the unit with those who work with it. If they do not trust the readings, they will not use it and a tragedy could easily occur. Your best protection is to contact current users of the instrument and ask about their experiences. Well we have now arrived at close to 4100 words on selecting a gas detector. If you are still awake, congratulations, because to get to this point you must have some interest in this topic not to have been bored to death. In closing I would like you to please keep in mind that portable gas detectors are available from a variety of manufacturers. They range from single electrochemical sensor instruments to very precise multiple sensor units. Do not be swayed by sophisticated technology and fancy packaging. Choose a device that meets your needs (both short term and for the next 3 to 5 years if possible). Look at all the variables from sensors to design, but always keep sensors as your number one criteria. Your employees also have to be considered in the equation. If not, a perfectly good gas detector will collect dust because they feel the damn thing isn’t any good! A well thought out purchase can save lives and prevent injuries

Seo Safety : Goggle Safety : Information : Typical Bulk Liquid Storage System

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:09:00 +0000

seosafety.com has great information for everyone:

Liquefied oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide are stored on your site at very low temperature. When gas is required, the liquid is vaporized for supply to your process. For cryogenic applications such as food freezing that require a low-temperature liquid supply, the liquid is delivered from the storage tank to your process by an insulated line.

A typical installation normally consists of a tank, a vaporizer, and controls. Systems are selected based on your volume, desired pressure, purity level, flow rate, and operating pattern.

Typical Liquid Storage System Used for Argon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen

A typical liquid storage system used for argon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

Tanks
The storage vessels generally used for liquefied argon, nitrogen, and oxygen are 500-, 1,500-, 3,000-, 6,000-, 9,000-, and 11,000-gallon tanks. Liquid hydrogen storage vessels are nominally 1,500-, 4,500-, 9,000-, and 20,000-gallon tanks.

Typical Tank Cutaway

Cutaway of a typical tank.

Ambient Air Vaporizer
While steam and electric vaporizers are occasionally used, the most widely employed vaporizers obtain heat from the surrounding air. These "ambient air" vaporizers are provided in arrays of many-finned tubes to provide vaporization rates up to 40,000 scfh per array. Additional units are added to provide higher vaporization rates.

Control Manifold
Control manifolds are designed to control the pressure to your houseline and to protect that line from excessively cold gas or possible liquid carryover. The manifold consists of a temperature control valve and a pressure control valve. Also included are necessary block-and-bypass valves, as well as a pressure indicator and check valve. There are two basic units—one for rates up to approximately 23,000 scfh and another for rates up to approximately 43,000 scfh.

Typical Control Manifold

A typical control manifold.

*Note that the liquid storage system used in your region may be different; please check with your local office.

Seo Safety Oil & Gas :: Air Shut-Off Safety Devices for Diesel Engines

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 13:07:00 +0000

GE designs and manufactures the Rigsaver® air shut-off safety device for use on both large and small diesel engines. When mounted in the air intake system, the Rigsaver will prohibit airflow from entering the cylinders and positively immobilize the engine, safeguarding personnel, equipment, and the environment. Rigsavers can be manually or automatically controlled, responding to a variety of fault or hazard conditions.

It's not always regulatory but it is your responsibility to protect the environment, your equipment and, most importantly, your people.
Hazard prevention with air shut-off safety devices

Airborne hydrocarbons are dangerous. In the open, they can easily ignite and spread to available fuel sources to produce an uncontrolled inferno. But they can also pose a threat to diesel engines of any size. When mixed with the air supply, these vapors or fumes may be drawn into the air intake system, act as an ungoverned fuel source and cause the engine to accelerate out of control.

Conventional shutdown methods (i.e. shutting off the engine's fuel supply) are often ineffective in preventing diesel engine overspeeding since the ungoverned fuel source is still available through the air intake system. Completely shutting off the air supply, using a device such as the Rigsaver, is the only sure way to prevent engine runaway and the possible dire outcomes: equipment damage, fire, or life-threatening explosion.
Air shut-off valves for air intake systems

Rigsaver is a swing-gate, spring-operated air shut-off valve mounted in the air intake system. It will impede the airflow into the cylinders and positively stop the engine. It can be installed pre- or post-turbo. Rigsaver can be manually or automatically controlled to respond to a variety of fault or hazard conditions.
Worldwide experience with diesel engine shut-off valves

The Rigsaver air shut-off valve has been used worldwide, providing reliable service on and offshore under adverse conditions associated with locations in the Canadian Arctic, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, the deserts of Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. Our product's quality meets or exceeds the stringent requirements of our broad customer base, which includes leading engine OEMs.
Features of the Rigsaver air shut-off safety device

Features of the Rigsaver air shut-off safety device include:

Manual or automatic controls
Can be used onshore and offshore
Can respond to a variety of fault or hazard conditions
Available with 2in (50mm) to 14in (355mm) of unrestricted port
Operates safely at ambient and induction air temperatures between +350°F to +400°F (+176°C to +205°C)
Meets ISO 9001:2008 requirements

Diesel emergency shut-down valve

The Rigsaver acts as an emergency shut-down valve for diesel engines. It is ideal for a wide range of applications, including:

Power generation
Bulk fuel loading facilities
Mining equipment
On/off - highway vehicles
Offshore platforms
Marine engine rooms
Petrochemical plants
Stationary equipment

Technical data of the Rigsaver air shut-off safety device

Temperature rating: maximum constant +400°F (+205°C); high temperature up to +482°F (+250°C) available upon request
Maximum pneumatic tripping pressure: 100 psi
Maximum solenoid energize time: 5 seconds
Vibration tested to simulate in-service conditions to ensure maximum durability and reliability
Manufactured with high-grade materials to protect against corrosion for extreme conditions such as oil and gas offshore
Available in bore sizes from 2in to 14in
Manufactured in Canada

Certifications

The Rigsaver is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is approved for use in hazardous zoned environments under ATEX Category II, Ex II 3G c T3 (200°C, industrial applications). (Note: This does not apply to electrical components.)

Source : GE OIL & GAS

Safety Goggle :: Summary of ANSI Z87.1-2003 Industrial Eyewear Impact Standard

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 07:18:00 +0000

ANSI Z87.1 Tests

The current edition of the standard is Z87.1-2003. Lenses in all protectors must at a minimum meet a basic impact requirement: the 1 inch drop ball test. Models can achieve “high” impact levels indicating elevated performance. The following “high” impact tests apply to lenses, as well as to the frames or product housing:

A lens retention test is conducted via a “high mass” impact. A pointed 500 gm (1.1 lb) projectile is dropped 50 inches onto the complete protector mounted on a headform. No pieces can break free from the inside of the protector, the lens cannot fracture, and the lens must remain in the frame or product housing. This test is a good measure of the product’s strength, simulating a blow such as from a tool that slips from the work surface or when the lens collides with stationary objects.

A high velocity test is conducted, at 20 specified impact points, where the projectile is a ¼ inch steel ball traveling at specific speeds depending upon the type of protector. For spectacles, the velocity is 150 ft/sec or 102 mph. The pass/fail criteria are the same as for the high mass test, plus no contact with the eye of the headform is permitted through deflection of the lens. This is meant to simulate particles that would be encountered in grinding, chipping, machining or other such operations. In the United States, compliance with the standard is self-certified, based on test results generated by the manufacturer as part of its initial design and ongoing Quality Control procedures. No independent certification is required. Products meeting the basic impact standard shall be marked “Z87” on all major components. Those products which pass the “high” impact tests listed above can carry a “Z87+” marking on the lens(es).

ANSI Z87.1-2003 Summary

1. Two Levels of Protection:

Basic and High LENSES: The new standard designates that lenses will be divided into two protection levels, Basic Impact and High Impact as dictated by test criteria. Basic Impact lenses must pass the “drop ball” test, a 1" diameter steel ball is dropped on the lens from 50 inches. High Impact lenses must pass “high velocity” testing where 1/4" steel balls are “shot” at different velocities.

Spectacles: 150 ft./sec.
Goggles: 250 ft./sec.
Faceshields: 300 ft./sec.

FRAMES: Now, all eyewear/goggle frames, faceshields or crowns must comply with the High Impact requirement. (This revision helps eliminate the use of “test lenses”, and assures all protectors are tested as complete - lenses in frame - devices). After making an eye hazard assessment, employers (safety personnel) should decide on appropriate eyewear to be worn, although High Impact would always be recommended. All of our spectacles are High Impact protectors.

2. Now, Products Must Indicate Impact Protection Level.

To identify a device’s level of impact protection, the following marking requirements apply to all new production spectacles, goggles and faceshields. Basic Impact spectacle lenses will have the manufacturer’s mark, i.e. an AOSafety product will have “AOS” and a Pyramex product will have a "P" etc. Goggles and faceshields will have AOS and Z87 (AOS Z87). High Impact spectacle lenses will also have a plus + sign, (AOS+) or "P+" etc. All goggle lenses and faceshield windows are to be marked with the manufacturer's mark, Z87, and a + sign (AOSZ87+).

Note: Lenses/windows may have additional markings. Shaded lens may have markings denoting a shade number such as 3.0, 5.0 etc. Special purpose lenses may be marked with “S”. A variable tint lens may have a “V” marking.

3. Sideshield Coverage Area Increased

Sideshield coverage, as part of the lens, part of the spectacle, or as an individual component, has been increased rearward by 10-millimeters via a revised impact test procedure. While side protection in the form of wraparound lens, integral or attached component sideshield devices is not mandated in this standard, it is highly recommended. Further, OSHA does require lateral protection on eye protection devices wherever a flying particle hazard may exist, and flying particle hazards are virtually always present in any occupational environment. All of our non-prescription safety spectacles meet the requirements of OSHA and the new Z87.1 for side protection.

4. No Minimum Lens Thickness Requirement For High Impact Lenses.

The new standard does not have a “minimum lens thickness” requirement for High Impact spectacle lenses. The previous standard required a 2-millimeter "minimum”. However, the protective advantages of wrap-around lenses and the many other advancements in eyewear design have eliminated this need.

Note: Glass lenses still fall into the Basic Impact lens category. The “minimum lens thickness” of 3 millimeters remains in effect for this category.

Source : safetyglassesusa.com

8 Common Source Of a Wet Basement and Finding The Cause Before You Begin Basement Waterproffing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:55:00 +0000

Moisture problems in a basement stem from one of two sources: indoor condensation or leaks from outdoors. You can usually determine whether the source of your problem is interior or exterior by performing this simple test.

Once you know which side of the basement wall the moisture is coming from, you still need to identify a specific source. That can be a little tricky, but here are the most common culprits:

-->

1. Downspouts

Downspouts should direct water away from the house foundation with extensions that are at least 6-feet long.

Water Features l EasyPumpwww.easypumpshop.comItalian Indoor & Outdoor Water Pump Free DHL Delivery l Get 30% Off.

Heat Insulating Paintwww.carytrad.com.tw/envircoat_eCOAT PC200 is a water and heat insulating paint, it is economical.

FUJI Water Leak Detectorwww.fujitecom.comWater Leak Detection Training Leakage Pinpointing during the day!

2. Gutters

Gutters are supposed to carry water to downspouts, but when they become clogged they can cause water to overflow. That means water is being dumped along the basement walls.

3. Grading

Improper grading is a major cause of wet basements. In the first 10 feet around the foundation, the soil should slope at least 6 inches away from the house.

4. Foundations

Over time, foundations can develop cracks that allow water to flow through. Hydraulic cement is a useful product for sealing masonry walls.

5. Plumbing

Water supply and drain pipes can leak. Drain lines in particular can develop small, hard-to-detect leaks that can cause long-term trouble. You should be able to find a drain line leak by turning all of the faucets in the house on and then doing a close visual inspection of the pipes in the basement.

6. Windows and Doors

Broken glass or aging seals around windows and doors allow easy access for water. Have someone spray water from a hose at basement windows and doors while you look for leaks inside.

7. High Humidity

A basement that is moist most of the time usually has some type of condensation problem. You can tackle the most common causes by following the advice in this article.

8. High Water Table

This is one of the toughest wet basement challenges. The water table is the line between saturated and unsaturated soil. It can vary by season and location, and even a heavy rainfall can cause the water table to rise. There's not much you can do to change the water table, but you can reduce its damaging effects with interior or exterior drainage systems or with a sump pump.

Installing a Sump pum,Types of Sump Pump, Digging a Sump Pit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:44:00 +0000

Installing a sump pump can be an effective way to keep water from accumulating in the basement. The pump is set in a basin, or sump pit, located at the lowest spot in the basement floor or where water first accumulates. Sump pits, which can be purchased at home centers, are most often made of plastic or fiberglass. As the water level beneath the basement floor rises, it fills the pit, activating the pump and causing the water to be discharged to the outdoors. Once the water level falls, the pump shuts off.

If your basement has occasional water problems, a sump pump can be an inexpensive and relatively easy-to-install aid. But keep in mind that installing a sump pump will not address the source of your water problem. So, before you spend any time and money on pumping water out of the basement, take a few moments to learn about the 8 Common Sources of a Wet Basement.

And if your basement is seriously flooded on a regular basis, a sump pump may not be the best solution. After looking at sources of your water problem, you may want to consider these 3 Approaches to Basement Waterproofing.

-->

Types of Sump Pumps

There are two types of sump pumps usually installed in houses: submersible pumps are fully concealed in the sum pit, while pedestal pumps are only partially concealed, with the motor resting above the water. Pedestal sump pumps tend to cost a bit less than submersible models, and they are easier to repair and maintain. But submersible pumps are quieter, and therefore a better choice for living areas.

Sump pumps usually come with long cords, allowing you to plug them into a receptacle protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Do not use an extension cord with a sump pump unless it matches the recommendations of the pump manufacturer.

Plumbers can usually install sump pumps, but a motivated DIYer can also handle the job. If you want to install your own sump pump, plan to spend $300-$500 for materials and the better part of a weekend for the installation.

Digging a Sump Pit

You will need a jackhammer to break through the concrete. Electric jackhammers are usually available at rental stores or in the tool rental department at home stores. They are easy to use and can be plugged into regular household outlets. Be sure to get a flat spade bit to use with the jackhammer.

Set your sump basin upside down on the floor, then draw a circle about 4 to 6 inches outside the perimeter of the basin. Be sure to stay at least 10 inches from the walls to avoid the foundation footing. Use the jackhammer to break through the slab along the line.

With the concrete out of the way, dig the hole to the required depth. You want the top of the basin flush with the top of the floor. Set the basin in the hole and fill the gaps around the perimeter with gravel. Level the gravel 1 inch above the bottom of the floor slab, then fill the remainder of the perimeter gap with concrete. Smooth the surface of the concrete with a trowel and allow to set for at least a day.

Installing the Sump Pump

Once the concrete has cured, set the sump pump in the basin as directed by the manufacturer. Connect the check valve and attach PVC discharge piping. Run the piping up the wall and out through a hole you drill in the rim joist.

Extend the piping to the outside, allowing water to drain away from the foundation. If the grade is not suitably sloped away from the house, you may need to install a drywell outside for the discharge piping to empty into. Do not run discharge into sewer or septic systems unless you are sure this is permitted by local building codes.

Seal around hole in rim joist with caulk. Now plug the sump pump into a GFCI receptacle. Fill the basin with water and test the pump.

From time to time you will need to clean debris out of the basin, and if your pump is not activated very often, periodically test it by pouring some water in the basin.

What I Have To Do If Lightning ?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 02:03:00 +0000

A house or other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning. In assessing the safety provided by a particular structure, it is more important to consider what happens if the structure gets struck by lightning, rather than whether the structure will be hit by lightning. For a shelter to provide protection from lightning, it must contain a mechanism for conducting the electrical current from the point of contact to the ground.

These mechanisms may be on the outside of the structure, may be contained within the walls of the structure, or may be a combination of the two. On the outside, lightning can travel along the outer shell of the building or may follow metal gutters and downspouts to the ground. Inside a structure, lightning can follow conductors such as the electrical wiring, plumbing, and telephone lines to the ground.

Avoid unsafe shelters

Unless specifically designed to be lightning safe, small structures do little, if anything, to protect occupants from lightning. Many small open shelters on athletic fields, golf courses, parks, roadside picnic areas, schoolyards and elsewhere are designed to protect people from rain and sun, but not lightning. A shelter that does not contain plumbing or wiring throughout, or some other mechanism for grounding from the roof to ground is not safe. Small wooden, vinyl, or metal sheds offer little or no protection from lightning and should be avoided during thunderstorms.

How lightning enters a house or building

There are three main ways lightning enters homes and buildings: (1) a direct strike, (2) through wires or pipes that extend outside the structure, and (3) through the ground. Regardless of the method of entrance, once in a structure, the lightning can travel through the electrical, phone, plumbing, and radio/television reception systems. Lightning can also travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

Stay safe while inside

Phone use is the leading cause of indoor lightning injuries in the United States. Lightning can travel long distances in both phone and electrical wires, particularly in rural areas. Stay away from windows and doors as these can provide the path for a direct strike to enter a home. Do not lie on the concrete floor of a garage as it likely contains a wire mesh. In general, basements are a safe place to go during thunderstorms.

However, there are some things to keep in mind. Avoid contact with concrete walls which may contain metal reinforcing bars. Avoid washers and dryers since they not only have contacts with the plumbing and electrical systems, but also contain an electrical path to the outside through the dryer vent.

Remember your pets

You may want to consider the safety of your family pets during thunderstorms. Dog houses are not lightning-safe. Dogs that are chained to trees or chained to wire runners can easily fall victim to a lightning strike.

Protect your personal property

Lightning also causes significant damage to personal property each year. In addition to direct strikes, lightning generates electrical surges that can damage electronic equipment some distance from the actual strike. Typical surge protectors will NOT protect equipment from a lightning strike.

To the extent possible, unplug any appliances or electronic equipment from all conductors well before a thunderstorm threatens. This includes not only the electrical system, but also the reception system. If you plan to be away from your home when thunderstorms are possible, be sure to unplug unneeded equipment before you leave.

Summary of lightning safety tips for inside the home

Avoid contact with corded phones

Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.

Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.

Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.

Do not lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls.

safety Goggle : What Is Main A Braker

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:25:00 +0000

So, what is a main breaker anyway? You'd think that it is something special having a name like that. Actually, the main breaker is the breaker that the feeder wire connects to. This breaker is a two-pole breaker that is connected to 240 volts to power your home. The main breaker acts as the disconnecting means to the entire power load of your breaker box. With it off, there is no power being fed to the buss bar that feeds the branch circuit breakers.

The main breaker is usually located atop the rest of the breakers in a panel, but sometimes the breaker panel is installed upside down. In this case, the main would be at the bottom. Some main breakers are bolted in place and others are snapped into place just like the branch circuit breakers.

Main breakers come in different sizes, but 100 and 200-amp breakers are generally used in residential installations. In older homes, you may still have a 60-amp service and I personally have seen a 30-amp, 120-volt main service. If you think you are short on power, think about that installation!

Main breakers are designed to trip if the amperage rating exceeds the value labeled on the breaker. For instance, if you have a 100-amp main breaker in place, if the amperage exceeds 100 amps, the breaker will trip.

There are a number of reasons why breakers trip. It may be lightning strikes, power surges from the utility company, or you may have overloaded your electrical panel.

If your electrical panel's main breaker does trip, turn off the branch circuit breakers before resetting the main breaker. Then, one at a time, start turning on breakers again. The idea here is not to dump the entire power load on the main breaker all at once. If the breaker trips again, you may be well advised to call in a professional.

Welcome to seosafety.com - The Best Safety Information Site!
You have entered THE Safety Genuine site.seosafety.com is designed to encompass everything you associate with the word "Safety". Whether you are here because you performed a Safety search, typed in our Safety URL to see what you would find, or were invited as a Safety Citizen… we are pleased to have you here Today.

seosafety.com has great information for everyone:

Intelegent Copilot For Car : Semiautonomous system takes the wheel to keep drivers safe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Barrels and cones dot an open field in Saline, Mich., forming an obstacle course for a modified vehicle. A driver remotely steers the vehicle through the course from a nearby location as a researcher looks on. Occasionally, the researcher instructs the driver to keep the wheel straight — a trajectory that appears to put the vehicle on a collision course with a barrel. Despite the driver’s actions, the vehicle steers itself around the obstacle, transitioning control back to the driver once the danger has passed.

The key to the maneuver is a new semiautonomous safety system developed by Sterling Anderson, a PhD student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Karl Iagnemma, a principal research scientist in MIT’s Robotic Mobility Group.

-->

The system uses an onboard camera and laser rangefinder to identify hazards in a vehicle’s environment. The team devised an algorithm to analyze the data and identify safe zones — avoiding, for example, barrels in a field, or other cars on a roadway. The system allows a driver to control the vehicle, only taking the wheel when the driver is about to exit a safe zone.

Anderson, who has been testing the system in Michigan since last September, describes it as an “intelligent co-pilot” that monitors a driver’s performance and makes behind-the-scenes adjustments to keep the vehicle from colliding with obstacles, or within a safe region of the environment, such as a lane or open area.

“The real innovation is enabling the car to share [control] with you,” Anderson says. “If you want to drive, it’ll just … make sure you don’t hit anything.”

The group presented details of the safety system recently at the Intelligent Vehicles Symposium in Spain.

Off the beaten path

Robotics research has focused in recent years on developing systems — from cars to medical equipment to industrial machinery — that can be controlled by either robots or humans. For the most part, such systems operate along preprogrammed paths.

As an example, Anderson points to the technology behind self-parking cars. To parallel park, a driver engages the technology by flipping a switch and taking his hands off the wheel. The car then parks itself, following a preplanned path based on the distance between neighboring cars.

While a planned path may work well in a parking situation, Anderson says when it comes to driving, one or even multiple paths is far too limiting.

“The problem is, humans don’t think that way,” Anderson says. “When you and I drive, [we don’t] choose just one path and obsessively follow it. Typically you and I see a lane or a parking lot, and we say, ‘Here is the field of safe travel, here’s the entire region of the roadway I can use, and I’m not going to worry about remaining on a specific line, as long as I’m safely on the roadway and I avoid collisions.’”

Anderson and Iagnemma integrated this human perspective into their robotic system. The team came up with an approach to identify safe zones, or “homotopies,” rather than specific paths of travel. Instead of mapping out individual paths along a roadway, the researchers divided a vehicle’s environment into triangles, with certain triangle edges representing an obstacle or a lane’s boundary.

The researchers devised an algorithm that “constrains” obstacle-abutting edges, allowing a driver to navigate across any triangle edge except those that are constrained. If a driver is in danger of crossing a constrained edge — for instance, if he’s fallen asleep at the wheel and is about to run into a barrier or obstacle — the system takes over, steering the car back into the safe zone.

Building trust

So far, the team has run more than 1,200 trials of the system, with few collisions; most of these occurred when glitches in the vehicle’s camera failed to identify an obstacle. For the most part, the system has successfully helped drivers avoid collisions.

Benjamin Saltsman, manager of intelligent truck vehicle technology and innovation at Eaton Corp., says the system has several advantages over fully autonomous variants such as the self-driving cars developed by Google and Ford. Such systems, he says, are loaded with expensive sensors, and require vast amounts of computation to plan out safe routes.

"The implications of [Anderson's] system is it makes it lighter in terms of sensors and computational requirements than what a fully autonomous vehicle would require," says Saltsman, who was not involved in the research. "This simplification makes it a lot less costly, and closer in terms of potential implementation."

In experiments, Anderson has also observed an interesting human response: Those who trust the system tend to perform better than those who don’t. For instance, when asked to hold the wheel straight, even in the face of a possible collision, drivers who trusted the system drove through the course more quickly and confidently than those who were wary of the system.

And what would the system feel like for someone who is unaware that it’s activated? “You would likely just think you’re a talented driver,” Anderson says. “You’d say, ‘Hey, I pulled this off,’ and you wouldn’t know that the car is changing things behind the scenes to make sure the vehicle remains safe, even if your inputs are not.”

He acknowledges that this isn’t necessarily a good thing, particularly for people just learning to drive; beginners may end up thinking they are better drivers than they actually are. Without negative feedback, these drivers can actually become less skilled and more dependent on assistance over time. On the other hand, Anderson says expert drivers may feel hemmed in by the safety system. He and Iagnemma are now exploring ways to tailor the system to various levels of driving experience.

The team is also hoping to pare down the system to identify obstacles using a single cellphone. “You could stick your cellphone on the dashboard, and it would use the camera, accelerometers and gyro to provide the feedback needed by the system,” Anderson says. “I think we’ll find better ways of doing it that will be simpler, cheaper and allow more users access to the technology.”

This research was supported by the United States Army Research Office and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The experimental platform was developed in collaboration with Quantum Signal LLC with assistance from James Walker, Steven Peters and Sisir Karumanchi.

Source : Jennifer, MIT News Office

Heavy Equipment Safety : Toolbox Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:58:00 +0000

Company Name __________________________ Job Name __________________________ Date________

HEAVY EQUIPMENT SAFETY

Operation of heavy equipment such as excavators, loaders, graders, rollers, and bulldozers, should always be done by highly skilled operators who have demonstrated the ability and necessary skills to operate safely. Ground-based workers should be trained in how to work safely around the equipment, and how to stay clear. Unsafe practices by either the operator or those around the equipment can create very dangerous situations. Serious injuries can occur if the equipment strikes a worker, or if the equipment is rolled over.

Here are a few common safety rules for operators and ground based workers to consider:

1) Good communication is essential. A standardized set of hand signals should be used by the operator and signal person. Operators should always know exactly where all ground based workers are located, and the wearing of high visibility vests will help the operator to locate them quickly. The equipment should have a back up warning alarm that can be heard by all nearby workers. Two-way radios are also valuable communication tools.

2) Heavy equipment must have a rollover protective structure (ROPS) meeting OSHA requirements. The ROPS is designed to protect the operator if the machine tips over. A seat belt must be worn so that the operator will not be thrown out of the seat during a rollover or upset situation. If working on slopes, try to avoid moving across the face of the slope. Try to operate up and down the slope face if possible. Use extreme caution when operating near open excavations.

3) Wear hearing protection when required. If it has been determined that noise levels around the equipment could potentially cause hearing loss, always use protective plugs or muffs when working on or around the equipment.

4) Never jump onto or off the equipment. Operators should always use the three-point contact rule when climbing onto or off heavy equipment. The three-point rule means having both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands in contact with the ladder access at all times.

5) Inspect and service the equipment regularly. Complete equipment service in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation. Periodic safety inspections on all components of the equipment should be done regularly by qualified personnel. Inspect the steering system and brake systems carefully. A pre-shift walk around inspection by the operator is highly recommended.

Injury accidents involving heavy equipment on construction sites have a higher probability of resulting in a fatality than many other types of accidents. It is critical to follow all of your company's safety rules and procedures when operating or working around heavy equipment.

Safety Recommendations:__________________________________________________________________________________

Job Specific Topics:_______________________________________________________________________________________

M.S.D.S Reviewed:_______________________________________________________________________________________

Attended By:

Safety Biker : When To Replace A Helmet / Safety Tips 007

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 01:13:00 +0000

Summary:

Did you crash it? Replace immediately.
Did you drop it hard enough to crack the foam?
Replace. Is it from the 1970's? Replace. Is the outside just foam or cloth instead of plastic? Replace.
Does it lack a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker inside? Replace.
Can you not adjust it to fit correctly? Replace!!

Did you crash in it?
For starters, most people are aware that you must replace a helmet after any crash where your head hit. The foam part of a helmet is made for one-time use, and after crushing once it is no longer as protective as it was, even if it still looks intact. Bear in mind that if the helmet did its job most people would tell you that they did not even hit their head, or did not hit their head that hard. And the thin shells on most helmets now tend to hide any dents in the foam. But if you can see marks on the shell or measure any foam crush at all, replace the helmet. (Helmets made of EPP foam do recover, but there are few EPP helmets on the market. Yours is EPS or EPU unless otherwise labeled.)

You can also crack the helmet foam or damage it by dropping the helmet on a hard surface. The cracks may be small and hard to see, so you need to look carefully. Cracks in the foam always require replacement of the helmet.

You may be reluctant to replace a helmet that looks almost as good as new, but if you did hit, you don't want to take chances on where you will hit next time. If the foam is cracked under the thin shell, it will be more likely to fly apart in your next crash. Many manufacturers will replace crashed helmets for a nominal fee, and most will also inspect crashed helmets to see if they need replacement. Call them if you are in doubt. For contact info check our list of manufacturers. (You can also ask them if they think the advice on this page is valid!} Is it from the 70's?

If you still have a helmet from the 70's without a styrofoam liner, replace it immediately. That would include the Skidlid (with spongy foam), 1970's Pro-tec (spongy foam), Brancale (no foam) and all leather "hairnets." They just did not have the protection of helmets made after 1984 when the ANSI standard swept the junk off the market.

The better 1970's helmets were reasonably good ones, but were not quite up to current standards. It is probably time to replace that old Bell Biker, Bailen, MSR, Supergo or similar model from the 70's or early 80's. (We have a page up on replacing the Bell Biker.) The hard shells were great, but the foam liners were not thick enough to meet today's ASTM or Snell standard. The Bell V-1 Pro was designed to today's standards, but the foam is very stiff, and if you are over 65 you probably should replace that too. If you have one of the 1980's all-foam helmets with perhaps a cloth cover, we would recommend replacing that one. Lab tests showed some years ago that bare foam doesn't skid well on pavement, and could jerk your neck in a crash. The cloth doesn't help much. In addition, some of them had no internal reinforcing, and they tend to break up in a crash. That's not serious if you just fall, but if you are hit by a car the helmet can fly apart in the initial contact and leave you bare-headed for the crack on the pavement.

Is it newer? With what standards sticker inside?

Newer helmets from the late 1980's and the 90's may or may not need replacement. First look to see what standards sticker is inside. If it's ASTM or Snell, the helmet was designed to meet today's standards for impact protection, and you may even find that Consumer Reports tested it in one of their articles. Most manufacturers now recommend that helmets be replaced after five years, but some of that may be just marketing. (Bell now recommends every three years, which seems to us too short. They base it partially on updating your helmet technology, but they have not been improving their helmets that much over three year periods, and we consider some of their helmets since the late 1990's to be a step backwards, so we would take that with a grain of salt.) Deterioration depends on usage, care, and abuse. But if you ride thousands of miles every year, five years may be a realistic estimate of helmet life. And helmets have actually been improving enough over time to make it a reasonable bet that you can find a better one than you did five years ago. It may fit better, look better, and in some cases may even be more protective. For an alternate view that agrees with the manufacturers, check out the helmet FAQ of the Snell Foundation. Snell knows a lot about helmets and their views on this subject should not be dismissed lightly, even though we disagree with them.
Occasionally somebody spreads rumors that sweat and ultraviolet (UV) exposure will cause your helmet to degrade. Sweat will not do that. The standards do not permit manufacturers to make a helmet that degrades from sweat, and the EPS, EPP or EPU foam is remarkably unaffected by salt water. Your helmet will get a terminal case of grunge before it dies of sweat. Sunlight can affect the strength of the shell material, though. Since helmets spend a lot of time in the sun, manufacturers usually put UV inhibitors in the plastic for their shells that control UV degradation. If your helmet is fading or showing small cracks around the vents, the UV inhibitors may be failing, so you probably should replace it. Chances are it has seen an awful lot of sun to have that happen. Otherwise, try another brand next time and let us know what brand faded on you.
At least one shop told a customer that the EPS in his three year old helmet was now "dried out." Other sales people refer to "outgassing" and say that the foam loses gas and impact performance is affected. Still others claim that helmets lose a percentage of their effectiveness each year, with the percentage growing with age. All of that is nothing but marketing hype to sell a replacement helmet before you need it. There is some loss of aromatics in the first hours and days after molding, and helmet designers take account of that for standards testing. But after that the foam stabilizes and does not change for many years, unless the EPS is placed in an oven for some period of time and baked. The interior of your car, for example, will not do that, based on helmets we have seen and at least one lab crash test of a helmet always kept in a car in Virginia over many summers. Helmet shells can be affected by car heat, but not the foam. The Snell Memorial Foundation has tested motorcycle helmets held in storage for more than 20 years and found that they still meet the original standard. EPS is a long-lived material little affected by normal environmental factors. Unless you mistreat it we would not expect it to "dry out" enough to alter its performance for many years.

An honest manufacturer: MET

The Italian company MET says in their 2010 catalog: "We are often asked 'For how long is a helmet safe?', or 'how often should I replace my helmet?”' Until now it has been difficult to find any reliable figures to help answer these queries. MET have now developed a series of tests which are conducted on aged helmets to determine a 'best before' date (unless the helmet is involved in an accident. In that case it should be replaced immediately.). The results indicate that, if used properly accordingly to our owner manual, our helmets will still do their job up to eight years after they have been made. Not only is that good news for the customer, it’s great news for the environment!"

We applaud MET for undertaking an actual testing program on helmet life and for making that statement. We regard it as a triumph of integrity over marketing. MET's helmets are made with industry standard shells and liners, so there is no reason we can see that their recommendation should not be good for many other helmet brands as well. If another manufacturer comes up with a testing program that shows earlier deterioration in the protection from their products we will review this page.

In sum, we don't find the case for replacing a helmet that meets the ASTM or Snell standards that compelling if the helmet is still in good shape and fits you well. Are you using it for non-bicycle activities?

Since 2003 helmets have been available that are actually certified to skateboard or ski standards as well as the CPSC bicycle helmet standard. If you are using a bicycle helmet for skateboarding or any other sport where you crash regularly, see our writeup on helmets for the current season for more info on that.

Otherwise, we would recommend buying another helmet designed for the activity you are pursuing, whether or not you replace your bike helmet. We have more on that subject on our page on other helmets. Note that most "skate-style" helmets currently on the market are actually bicycle helmets certified only to the CPSC bicycle helmet standard. They have CPSC stickers inside, but no ASTM Skateboard standard sticker. Do you still like wearing it?

Your helmet is of course a piece of wearing apparel as well as a safety appliance. If you consider yourself a stylish rider and your helmet is not as spiffy as the new ones, go for it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good, and if you do, fashion is a valid reason to replace a helmet.
Is it a better helmet than the ones available today?

As new styles have become more "squared-off" and designers have begun adding unnecessary ridges and projections that may increase the sliding resistance of a helmet shell, there is good reason to stay with one of the more rounded designs of the early to mid 90's. Those round, smooth shells like the original Bell Image that Consumer Reports rated highly in 1993 are more optimal for crashing than some of the newer designs. So think twice about "moving up," and look for a rounded, smooth-shelled design when you do. We have a lot of info on the new ones up on our page on helmets for the current season.
Inspecting a Helmet
We have a page up with step by step instructions on how to inspect a helmet.

Safety Bicycle Helmet Inspection For Biker 03

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Inspection

You need to look at the helmet's main elements: Outside Shell

The exterior plastic of a helmet is important to hold it together in a crash. Look first for cracks or abrasion on the surface that show evidence of an impact. Even if you think the helmet has never been impacted, look carefully. Many riders don't know they hit their head. Small cracks around the edges or anywhere else on the shell indicate aging and a need to replace.

Press carefully all over the helmet to see if you get a "beer can" effect where the shell can be pushed in and it pops back. Most cheap helmets show some of that when new, but that should be all over the helmet, and very little. If the shell dents more than a little bit, that indicates crushed foam underneath, and a need to replace. If there is crushed foam you would usually see abrasion of the shell where it indents. Note that more expensive helmets that are molded in the shell should have no beer can effect whatsoever. With those helmets any flat spot on helmet surfaces that were formerly curved would indicate damage.

Check the shell color for fading. The helmet below was ridden across the US by Brian Hanson. It was vibrant yellow when he started. With constant sun exposure it faded badly, probably from lack of sufficient UV inhibitors in the plastic. If your helmet fades, the plastic has probably become brittle, and it should be replaced. Brian replaced his.

Liner

Remove the fitting pads if they come out, and inspect the styrofoam liner carefully for any signs of cracks or compressed foam. If in doubt about a spot on the helmet, measure the foam thickness and that of an identical spot on the other side, or if you have another helmet of the same model and size, use that. If you discover any cracked or crushed foam, replace the helmet. Remember that EPS liners do recover some of the crushed thickness, but the foam that was compressed will not perform well in the next hit. Even if you find no damage, if you know the helmet has taken an impact you should replace it. The damage can be difficult to identify even with careful measuring.

If you have one of the few bike helmets with an EPP (Expanded PolyPropylene) or other multi-impact liner, do the inspection as described above anyway. EPP recovers, but not 100%. In time if you crash more than once you will find foam damage and need to replace your helmet.

Buckle and Strap

Check the straps on the helmet for signs of wear, and replace if they seem worn, faded or any of the stitching is beginning to fail. Salt accumulations should be washed out before inspection. Check the buckle and replace if you see any missing parts. The plastic blades that lock into the female side of most buckles can break. The buckle will hold together weakly with one blade, but will fail in a crash.

Rear Stabilizer

The rear stabilizer on many of today's helmets is not really part of the retention system that holds the helmet on the head, but a means of adding some stability for comfort. It should still be inspected for structural integrity and to be sure the adjustment is working. Stretching or tugging it with moderate force will usually tell you that.

Standards Sticker

Some older helmets had impact protection as good as anything on the market today. If yours has a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker in it and passes the other inspection points, it is probably still a good helmet. If is is older than that, it should be replaced.

More on replacement

We have a page up on when you need to replace a helmet, with more detail on what makes it necessary.

Rentals

In addition to cleaning a helmet when it is returned, the inspection steps are critical for renting. Many riders will not tell you when they crash, or will not think they hit their heads. With experience the steps above can be quickly done, but you must remember to do them each time.

Checklist

Here is the info on this page as a helmet inspection checklist. in .pdf format for printing out.