A Growing Demand for EX Equipment
As awareness grows around the dangers of potentially explosive gas and dust atmospheres, safety standards within the EX market have become increasingly stringent. This shift reflects a broader industry trend – a rising level of knowledge and interest in EX safety equipment. More personnel, from engineers to site managers, are taking a greater interest in EX safety equipment. They are focused on understanding both its application and its critical role in risk prevention.
At SA Equip, we work closely with clients across heavy industry and manufacturing who share our commitment to safety. One way we deepen our understanding is by analysing workplace incident reports, helping us identify how our solutions can better protect people on-site.
One particularly sobering example is the tragic paper mill fire in North Carolina in 2020. This incident sparked significant discussion within SA Equip, especially following the release of detailed findings from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB). These materials highlight vital lessons that every site owner should be aware of.
What Happened at Evergreen Packaging?
A heat gun used by a contracting company to warm resin during the application of surface sheeting inside an ‘upflow tower’ accidentally fell into a container of resin, igniting a fire. The flames quickly spread to a connected ‘downflow tower,’ where two operatives working separately were tragically overcome by smoke and lost their lives.
The CSB described the incident as “avoidable,” citing a ‘perfect storm’ of factors relevant to SA Equip clients. Here’s a summary:
- The Job: Contractors in the upflow tower worked separately from the downflow tower crew, grinding away old fibre-reinforced plastic sheeting and applying new resin layers.
- Temperature Challenges: Cold weather conditions made it difficult to secure the sheeting, prompting the use of a heat gun to warm an open container of resin to improve adhesion.
- Escalation: The heat gun fell into the resin, igniting a fire. Smoke spread rapidly to the connected downflow tower, fatally affecting unaware operatives.
The CSB identified several critical factors contributing to the incident, many of which offer valuable lessons for site owners and safety managers.
- Combustible Materials: The fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) materials used in the tower’s construction contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
- Pre-Job Planning: A lack of planning for the possibility of resin heating meant safer alternatives were not considered or made available.
- Confined Space Safety: Entry into confined spaces should only be permitted under a valid confined space permit, and with full awareness of nearby activities that could introduce risk.
- Hot Work Policy: Heat guns must be clearly identified as potential ignition sources. Their use, and safer alternatives, should be addressed within comprehensive hot work procedures.
- Connected Workspace Risk Assessment: When work areas are physically connected, safety assessments must account for combined risks across all spaces, not just individual zones.
Access a copy of the CSB’s Investigation Report
Read their Executive Summary from the Final Report
Many of the risks highlighted in this incident are exactly the kind our portable, hazardous area certified heat, light, air, and power equipment is specifically designed to address.
We’ve outlined several key issues below that are especially relevant for SA Equip clients, particularly site owners, looking to enhance safety and compliance in high-risk environments.
Key Learnings from the Evergreen Packaging Incident
There are four especially significant factors of note to SA Equip clients:
1. Hot Work Safety
Equipment doesn’t need to produce a spark or flame to be an ignition source, a fact overlooked in the Evergreen Packaging tragedy.
Our hazardous area equipment specialists emphasize that contractors must know the temperature ratings of all equipment used on site. For example, when working near resin, if the equipment’s temperature rating exceeds the resin’s flashpoint, it can create a serious fire and explosion risk.
2. Confined Space Safety Between Contractors
The Evergreen Packaging fire serves as a stark reminder that proper confined space training, clear policies, and the right equipment are essential. Equally important is strong awareness of confined space entry safety, including effective cooperation and communication between different contractor crews working nearby.
Our specialists highlight the crucial role of hazardous area certified ventilation equipment. It helps control fumes and odours within the workspace and minimises their impact on the public and other operatives working nearby.
3. Pre Job Planning
Having the right equipment in place before work begins helps avoid risky on-site improvisation. For example, just because a job takes place in summer doesn’t guarantee the optimal temperature will be suitable for applying resin.
We recommend the SA Equip EX Heatbox. It’s purpose-built for the safe, efficient storage of paint, PFP, grease, and other materials at optimal temperatures right next to your work area. It’s also fully certified for use in Zone 1 hazardous areas.
What Site Owners Need to Know
Clear safety oversight between site owners and contractors is essential, especially during shutdowns. This is when multiple crews may be working on different tasks at the same time. Without proper coordination, the risk of accidents increases significantly. In many regions, this kind of oversight is more than just best practice, it is likely a legal requirement. (Please consult the latest legislation relevant to your country or working area.)
For example, the UK HSE reminds those who “have a contractor working for you” that “both you and the contractor will have duties under health and safety law”.
“This also applies when a contractor employs subcontractors. If you are contracting construction work you have duties as a client under the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM). The HSE defines a client as “anyone who has construction work carried out for them”
The HSE advises that anyone employing contractors should:
- Select a suitable subcontractor ensuring they have sufficient skills and knowledge for safe working.
- Assess the risks of the work and consider the health and safety implications.
- Do a risk assessment and make sure both you and the contractor are aware of the findings.
- Provide information, instruction and training to your employees (including information for contractors on the risks from your activities and any controls in place).
- Set up liaison arrangements with everyone responsible to ensure health and safety of everyone in the workplace.
- Decide what you need to do to manage and supervise the work of contractors and agree on the nature of the controls before work starts.
On the subject of the risk assessment, the HSE states: “You should already have a risk assessment for the work activities of your own business. The contractor must assess the risks for the contracted work and then both of you must get together to consider any risks from each other’s work that could affect the health and safety of the workforce or anyone else”.
Meeting the Growing Demand for EX Rated Equipment
A clear message from the Evergreen Packaging fire is that proper planning and the right equipment are non-negotiable. Safety should never be an afterthought—purpose-designed, certified equipment must be in place from the outset.
In high-risk industries like oil and gas, advancing technology is reshaping how work is done. But one thing remains unchanged: the critical need for reliable EX certified equipment. In fast-paced environments, innovation goes beyond product development. It’s about smarter thinking, stronger safety practices, and better ways to protect workers.
At SA Equip, we’ve been delivering dependable solutions for hazardous environments since the 1920s. From extreme offshore platforms to complex industrial settings, we help clients achieve safe, efficient lighting, heating, power, and ventilation wherever it’s needed most. Our in-house development team designs robust, ATEX-certified equipment tailored to meet real-world demands.
If you need guidance on choosing the right tools for your hazardous site, our experts are here to help so please get in touch.
