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Safe use of intercom phone in flammable area
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Ellick  
#1 Posted : 14 February 2010 13:45:59(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Ellick
Is intercom phone safe to use in production floor which dealing with flammable materials?

The input for the intercom phone is 28VDC/80mA.

May somebody suggest which guideline should i refer.

Thanks.
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Steve Sedgwick  
#2 Posted : 14 February 2010 14:45:08(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Steve Sedgwick
Ellick
the DSEAR Regulations (ATEX) will most likely apply and a specialist maybe needed to carry out the assessment to determine the type of electrical equipment or other ignition sources within the particular "zones".

If you describe the flammable substances and the process we may be able to give more guidance

Steve
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stephendclarke  
#3 Posted : 14 February 2010 19:12:52(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
stephendclarke
Hi,
The HSE document DSEAR AcoP & Guidance L138 provides useful info, as does Baseefa i.e.the British certification body for equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres which you can find at:

http://www.baseefa.com/

Cheers
Steve
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Jane Blunt  
#4 Posted : 15 February 2010 08:01:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Jane Blunt
If - and its a big if, it turns out that your production floor needs to be 'zoned' and have special electrical equipment, then it will apply to all the electrical equipment in the area, including the lights.

I would note in passing that if the concentration of solvent fumes is within the explosive range then it is almost certainly over any exposure limit designed to safeguard health.
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bleve  
#5 Posted : 15 February 2010 13:27:57(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
bleve
Jane,
FYI, the area around a sealed flange positioned along the length of a pipe line containing a flammable liquid or explosive gas can be considered a Zone 2 hazardous area without reference to or application of Occupational Exposure Limits.

Similary, secondary containment may also be considered a Zone 2 hazardous area, again without any occupational exposure related issues.

A zone 22 explosive dust area can also exist without exceeding specified OEL or STELs

all of the above scenarios would preclude the carrying or use of the intercom phone within these hypothetical areas.
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Jane Blunt  
#6 Posted : 15 February 2010 14:01:33(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Jane Blunt
Bleve, I do not dispute what you say about classification, and Zone 2 is for areas in which a hazardous atmoshere is not likely to occur in normal operation (less than around 10 hours per year).

If you take acetone as an example, then the concentration that OSHA states is immediately dangerous to life and health, 2500 ppm, is only one tenth of the concentration at which it reaches the LEL. see http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/67641.HTML

Therefore, if there were a leak, people should not stay in the area, whether or not it was classified.
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Steve Sedgwick  
#7 Posted : 15 February 2010 14:11:41(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Steve Sedgwick
Ellick
would you please describe the flammable materials and the process involved so that we have some idea of the size of the problem. I am still not sure if it is a DSEAR issue anyway

Steve
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jay  
#8 Posted : 15 February 2010 16:46:01(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
jay
Unless there is more information provided, it is difficult to inform!

If it is already a "zoned" area, you should generally not be introducing non-"Atex" rated equipment within the zone.

If it is not a zoned area, only after knowing the specific flammable liquids, the quantities and ventilation rates can one "risk assess" it.
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Ellick  
#9 Posted : 17 February 2010 00:50:54(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Ellick
The chemicals use in production floor such as Ethyl Acetate, Isopropyl alcohol, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, Toluene and Vanish.

With the above information, can i concluded that intercom phone is not suitable to use in the production floor?
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Jane Blunt  
#10 Posted : 17 February 2010 08:14:49(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Jane Blunt
You have not given us enough information to be able to say. As said earlier, if the area needs to be Zoned, then all of the electrical apparatus needs to be to the required standard, including the lights.

It depends on the quantities, how they are used, whether they can be spilt and in what amounts, what the ventilation is like, etc....
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