HAZARDOUS AREA BRIEF
Protecting Lives and the Environment in Hazardous Areas
Safety is defined in the Collins dictionary as the state of being safe from harm or danger . Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk , i . e . risk management . That applies everywhere , for everyone , at home , in the workplace , indoors and outdoors . Then why are there so many incidents , accidents and disasters that could have been prevented , had the necessary measures been observed and enforced ?
The Mauritius oil spill
Two recent examples show that not all is well in the world of safety . In July of this year a tanker ran aground off the southeast coast of Mauritius . The latest in a long series of oil spills that have damaged ocean life and the shores of many countries . The spill may not be the largest in history , but , according to NBC News , “ its location – an environmentally protected ecosystem of biodiverse reefs , endangered animals and plants , mangrove forests and turquoise lagoons – means it has already caused untold damage that experts say could take decades to reverse .” The spill is bound to have a serious economic impact on the country that relies heavily on tourism . Not to mention the local fishermen deprived of their livelihood .
Beirut explosion
On 4 August a series of explosions in the port of Beirut , Lebanon , ravaged the city , killing at least 200 people , injuring around 5 000 others and leaving about 300 000 without homes . Allegedly , a fire , started by
welding work on the warehouse structure , triggered the explosion .
What caused the explosion ? Lebanon ’ s Prime Minister blamed the detonation on 2 750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored since 2013 at a warehouse in the port . Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound predominantly used in agriculture as a fertilizer , but also as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining , quarrying and civil construction .
The ammonium nitrate was stored – unsafely , it seems – first on the ship that transported it , then in a port warehouse , for about seven years . A disaster waiting to happen .
Both the Mauritius oil spill and the Beirut explosion are proof that when dealing with potentially inflammable and / or explosive material , the utmost safety measures must be taken to protect the environment and the lives of those living close by .
This is why the United Nations , through UNECE ( United Nations Economic Commission for Europe ) has endorsed IECEx , the IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres , as the international certification system for the assessment of conformity in Ex areas .
UNECE has drawn on IECEx experience to build its model . Since 1996 , IECEx has been the only truly international conformity assessment system that provides testing and certification for all items of Ex equipment – electrical and non-electrical – and installations as well as certifying the skills and competence of individuals working in hazardous areas .
The System addresses the inspection ( location and other ), installation , maintenance and repair of equipment and systems and assesses the competence of personnel working in this highly specialized area . •
When managing real pressure is your job …
MIPC ® helps engineers stay on-site and on top of the latest industry developments and good practice in primary containment of hazardous substances .
Using a blend of live , online classes , one-to-one sessions with expert tutors , and e-learning , enhanced by a mentor ’ s support and guidance , EEMUA ’ s Mechanical Integrity Practitioner Certificate course delivers in-depth training to engineers where they work – to give professionals the flexibility to learn on-site or on-call .
The next EEMUA MIPC ® training course : Induction begins in November 2020 Learning starts in January 2021 Registration open now .
For more information please contact EEMUA online-learning @ eemua . org + 44 ( 0 ) 20 7488 0801 www . eemua . org
MIPC ® shortlisted for the Best E-learning / Online Education Initiative memcom membership excellence awards 2020