Ensuring Safety for Professionals in the Water & Wastewater Industry

We go beyond just providing standalone products for light, ventilation, power, and heat. Our focus is on delivering specialised solutions that frequently require tailored research & development for specific sectors with distinct challenges. 

Given the wastewater treatment plant safety hazards, particularly with the presence of explosive gases, it’s crucial to have a strong safety framework in place. Our in-house site equipment specialist outlines 4 essential safety tips that everyone working in the water and wastewater industry should be aware of.

Identify and Monitor Hazardous Zones

Identifying and understanding hazardous zones is essential for reducing the risk of dangers. Areas like sewage treatment tanks, digesters, and pumping stations frequently pose a high risk for explosive gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide. It’s important to implement particular safety precautions and measures in these areas to avoid accidents. 

Ongoing monitoring for potentially explosive gases is also necessary to ensure safety in the water and wastewater industry. Maintaining an updated map of hazardous zones ensures that everyone is aware of the risks present in various sections of the plant.

Always Carry Out Risk Assessments

For each hazardous area, a detailed risk assessment must be carried out. The primary factor to assess is the presence and concentration of flammable gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide, which can lead to explosion risks.

The assessment should consider:

• The likelihood of gas release, such as from leaks or system malfunctions. 
• The concentration of gases that could reach explosive levels. 
• The impact of any possible ignition sources, including electrical equipment, sparks, or static discharge. 
• Specific environmental factors, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, and airflow, as they influence gas accumulation and ignition risk.

Consider Ventilation and Airflow

The connection between the gas source and ventilation is essential. While many plants may not face issues in hazardous areas, there have been instances where forced ventilation still allows for significant gas buildup. 

It’s important to install and maintain ventilation systems in high-risk zones to avoid the gathering of explosive gases. These systems need to effectively dilute or eliminate harmful gases from confined spaces like digesters or pumping stations.

Select the Correct Equipment

Our expert’s final recommendation highlights how crucial it is to choose the appropriate equipment. In specialised environments that come with unique risks, selecting the right tools is essential. It’s advisable to source this equipment from a supplier who has experience in the specific types of settings where the work will take place.

SA Equip is a reliable source for lighting, ventilation, and power solutions across various industries, including water and wastewater. We take pride in assisting our clients in selecting the ideal products or even creating tailored solutions to meet their unique needs and risks. This approach means we go beyond just selling equipment; we engage with our clients, develop solutions, and contribute to creating improved working environments.

For more information and guidance on our range of products, please get in touch with one of our knowledgeable team.