MHW Magazine News and stories from the Materials Handling Industry
Many companies due to visit IMHX in November process or store flammable material and are faced with the continued risk of explosion. At the materials handling show, Ex-Solutions Consulting will be holding a ‘Solutions Centre’ for businesses looking for hazardous area advice and training to support effective risk management.
Ex-Solutions Consulting, a company that helps organisations manage their fire and explosion risk, will be promoting its services at this year’s IMHX exhibition at the NEC, November 16th -19th. A ‘Solutions Centre’ will be present on stand 18M140 (Pyroban Group), where visitors are invited to come along to discuss their explosion risk and identify whether they could manage their operation more effectively.
Ian Harrison, Process Safety Systems Specialist for Ex-Solutions Consulting explains why the company has chosen to exhibit at the show "Many businesses have operations where they are handling and storing flammable material and need a strong partner to ensure that their processes and management systems are safe and comply with the requirements of ATEX and DSEAR.
"Industry is increasingly looking to reduce cost and improve safety which, in itself, presents a real challenge to businesses, particularly in the area of fire and explosion risk" he adds. "Within the materials handling sector, explosion protection principles and hazardous area classification are often misunderstood. The consequence in many cases is the selection of inappropriate equipment with respect to the level of risk that business operations may possess, which may, for example involve the selection of costly zone 1 or 21 fork lift trucks when Zone 2 or 22 maybe more appropriate. These decisions impact an organisation in terms of increased capital outlay and ongoing maintenance costs".
Ian continues "Engaging an independent, specialist partner like Ex-solutions Consulting, particularly at the initial stages of projects, can reap benefits in terms of ensuring you invest wisely in appropriate control and mitigation measures, to effectively manage your company’s fire and explosion risk".
The Solutions Centre at IMHX provides an opportunity to discuss problems and get confidential professional advice, in what is recognised as a specialist area of risk management. The Solutions Centre will particularly benefit businesses in the area of warehousing and associated hazardous materials handling operations, whilst raising awareness of the wide range of Ex-Solutions that the Pyroban Group has to offer.
"My role involves working closely with customers to improve safety, find solutions and support change within an operation, providing pragmatic advice and guidance, and helping to reduce cost, while effectively managing risk" says Ian, a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Chartered Health and Safety Practitioner, who brings a wealth of experience from industry, where he has held professional posts in a number of blue chip companies and joined the Pyroban Group following a senior position held at the UK’s leading EX notified body.
Ian and his team have significant experience helping companies meet their legal requirements under DSEAR/ATEX, assessing risk, classifying areas, inspecting, designing and verifying installations for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
"We are involved in supporting many industries including oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, food and drink and any other business involved in the processing or handling of substances possessing fire and explosion hazards" Ian continues, explaining that this is the first time Ex-Solutions has been present at IMHX.
Ian and the Ex-Solutions Consulting team can be seen on the Pyroban Group stand 18M140 at IMHX at the NEC, 16th-19th November, where the company will also be promoting its explosion proof forklift conversions. The company’s Environmental Division, Envirosafe, will also have a presence at IMHX showcasing systems that control exhaust emissions.
