Page 44 - Occupational Health & Safety, October 2019

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
able performance is a skillful task.
A decade ago, many plant managers were afraid to install wireless gas monitors in an oil and gas processing area because of perceived reliability or security issues. However, wireless gas monitoring systems have proven themselves time and again on these two counts, with the added benefit of location-based flexibility. Today’s new hy- brid model takes the design a step further, offering the online security and continuous area coverage provided by traditional fixed systems as well as the flexibility and cost
savings of contemporary wireless systems.
Minimizing Risk
Minimizing health and safety risks when carrying out maintenance activities is of critical importance to companies. In the oil and gas industry, carrying out maintenance tasks safely often has a direct effect on plant operations; for example, 11 percent of all hydrocarbon releases are directly attributed to maintenance activity.1
This new hybrid model is designed and constructed to prevent ignition sources from arising, even in the event of frequent disturbances or equipment operating faults. The detector provides an industry standard 3-wire, 4-20mA source or sink output for connection to a dedicated gas detection control system or PLC. The detector can also be connected via relays to alarm notifi-
cation and ventilation activation systems so that equipment can be shut down and plant personnel evacuated as part of a larger risk mitigation plan.
When Simpler is Better
Bringing familiar smartphone technology and software to maintenance tasks simpli- fies commissioning, calibration and diag- nostic checking—all routine tasks associ- ated with the gas maintenance program.
The interface is essentially similar to the ones people use in their everyday lives. The detector is managed through the phone app. With this convenience, a single worker can carry out a range of set-up and mainte- nance tasks from up to 32 feet or 10 meters away. The app enables the worker to access vital information in real time, including the gas concentration reading, diagnostic in- formation, service history, date of the last calibration of each detector, type of detec- tor and more.
This convenience and utility helps minimize costly downtime while enhanc- ing safety and productivity. What’s more, because the maintenance work carried out is non-intrusive, there is no need for the operating area to be shut down while the essential work is carried out.
This Bluetooth-enabled solution can also help tackle the problem of excess ad- ministration time spent on the job. Many
organizations report that maintenance teams often spend up to half a day each week filling in calibration reports by hand. The smartphone app can help to speed up the process significantly.
The app captures the information during the calibration process and can produce a simple report showing the cali- bration parameters. The worker can then include a signature, close the job, send a PDF to the customer directly from the phone and move on to the next job. This improves efficiency and productivity, and the customer can get the essential infor- mation without delay. Creating the reports on the go can also help reduce the risk of errors occurring in the reporting and oth- er documentation.
Staying Connected
Connected technology has the potential to deliver customers real benefits in gas detec- tion in terms of ease of maintenance, im- proved productivity and worker safety, all of which contribute to profitable operation in an ever more competitive environment.
By introducing an element of wireless connectivity to fixed gas detection, com- panies also are acknowledging the swelling ranks of younger workers coming to the fore. These connected devices that lever- age Bluetooth connectivity and the smart phone have the potential to speed up the training process on the plant floor. Also, in hazardous classified areas, an intrinsically safe (IS) phone may be substituted for a standard consumer-grade smart phone.
While the industry is still early in its journey to fully embracing the possibilities of connectivity, the near future will see gas detection technology increasingly leverage the power of both fixed and wireless solu- tions to better protect people and assets as efficiently as possible.
Mike Holmes has been involved in gas de- tection systems by Honeywell in several ca- pacities over the past 20 years—as a field technician, product specialist and marketing specialist. Based in Houston, he oversees the entire go-to-market process and lifecycle of Honeywell’s fixed gas monitors.
REFERENCES
1. http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr672.pdf
40 Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2019
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