Written by Christopher Latter

When you work in extreme environments like underground mining operations, there are various risk factors which need to be addressed. You can take various measures to cope with these risks, including performing risk assessments and modifying environments as necessary to minimise risks. When the primary risk on a site is an explosive atmosphere due to the presence of certain gases and temperatures, there are very specific steps that should be taken. One of the key measures is to implement portable EX Equipment that can be taken to the site during use and removed once the job is done.

What is EX Equipment?

EX equipment is designed and manufactured with systems that protect against ignition and thereby minimise the risk of explosion. It has to be fully compliant with ATEX directives on explosive atmospheres and protective systems to be used in them. It means workers can get the lighting, heating, ventilation and power they need without the fear that the hardware could cause an explosion in a volatile atmosphere.

Working in these types of extreme environments is impossible without electrical equipment such as:

• Tools
• Lighting
• Ventilation
• Generators

But ordinary electrical equipment is prone to heat and surges that could ignite flammable gases and lead to disaster. When a site is being assessed, the assessor should identify the hazards and specify what equipment will be needed. In addition to flammable gases, this could also involve hazards like darkness and toxicity of the air. Recommendations can then be made for the equipment to be implemented that will make the environment workable.

Risk reduction and mitigation

If the working environment contains a gas that obscures vision or is toxic when inhaled, there needs to be ventilation to minimise the presence of that gas. But if there is also a flammable presence, an ordinary fan and shaft system could potentially cause an explosion. But with portable EX equipment, you get a solution that is tailored to deliver the safest possible environment where these types of risks are present. The portability of the solution makes it easy to install and modify to vent the gas, and the explosion resistance mitigates the risk of ignition. The result is the safest possible working environment where workers can be productive without worrying about the hazards of the space.

EX Equipment is an essential component of a comprehensive risk management plan for hazardous work environments. It provides the full range of necessary equipment to make an environment workable whilst reducing the risk of ignition and explosion to the bare minimum. It is built to the exacting specifications of the European ATEX directives, and no extreme work environment should be without it.