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Posted By Dot Tadman
Can anyone help please. My company is in the process of carrying out some installation work in a sewage pit. It involves laying cables which go through pit into control panel. The Principal Contractor has requested we carryout a smoke test to ensure that the cable connection has no leaks out into the control panel.
What would be the safest method of doing this. I have looked at smoke pellets, but in reading Data Sheets, I believe that there is an ignition hazard. It also mentions that although this can be used for gas flues etc, that the equipment should not be connected up until test has been completed, also that the flue etc should not be blocked off completely due to build up of pressure. Is there anything out there that we can use.
Dot
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
Dot
Would a theatrical smoke generator be suitable?
Paul
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Posted By Charles New
As previously mentioned, you could use a smoke machine, similar to the ones used by asbestos removal contractors. They can usually be hired from tool/safety hire shops.
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Posted By Stuart Nagle
Hi, Dot.
The simple answer is that the control board should NOT be in the sewage pit, but located outside.
The Confined Spaces Regulations state that designers installing or building new infrastructure must consider the need to avoid risks, including where reasonably practicable, taking measures to avoid entry into confined spaces by placing controls/equipment to which access may be needed outside the space.
If the controls are located in the space this not only gives risk to risk of failure of the unit (as you are trying to prove intrinsic safety at atmosphereic pressure this clearly exemplified this!!), but means that persons will have to enter a confined space to maintain them when necessary!!
I suggest you advise that under the CS regs the design should reflect the need for safey and avoidance of entry, and review the design to place the controls outside the space where connections will be less expensive, and the risk to persons involved in entry to maintain the equipment removed.
Hope this helps...
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Posted By Dot Tadman
Thankyou for your responses. They were a great help.
Stuart, Yes I did know and I must apologise for not explaining that its the cable that is coming from the pit into the kiosk which is outside.
The smoke is to test the sealing efficiency once the cable installation is completed (as per WIMES Spec and MEICA Spec).
It states : cable seals shall be tested using proprietary smoke pellets or a smoke machine which produce non-toxic smoke with a distinctive smell.
We have since spoken to Principal Contractor and explained that smoke pellets are not an option due to them being a hazard in their own right, they have to be lit to enable them to burn slowly to produce smoke. The smoke machine is also a possible problem. In trying to seal off pit to keep smoke in, this could present its own problems.
Thank you once again for your input.
Dot
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Posted By Ciaran McAleenan
Dot
There is a company in Connecticut "Regin HVAC products" that produce a smoke product called the Regin Powder Puffer. It contains silica powder which is squeezed from the bottle. It is used for testing draft in fume hoods and it may well suit your purpose. There isn't an ignition source and the MSDS has it down as non flammable and non explosive.
The MSDS is avaliable on the following URL;
http://www.regin.com/msds/MSDSPowderPuffer.pdf
and the product details are available;
http://www.regin.com/puffer.html
I am not aware of a similar HVAC product in UK but I am sure if you were to contact the HVAC association
http://www.hvca.org.uk/
they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Regards
Ciaran
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Posted By Stuart Nagle
Dot.
If you can give some more information on the location of the pit (what is the environment/situation) and why such a high standard is required for sealing the cable entry point into the pit, I may be able to offer some more advice....
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