Explosion Proof Enclosures - Why They Are Essential For Safe, Secure, and Profitable Activity?

Explosion Proof represents a product that is designed to contain in itself, an electrical short, so that it will not ignite a hazardous atmosphere and will prevent the explosions, the tragedies and all the financial - economic losses. The refineries, gas stations and paint booths are some very good examples of where these life - protective products would be used. These products are constructed by heavy duty steel or by reinforced aluminum, or even ultra - modern fiberglass.

The Explosion Proof Enclosures can be seen always in use in the very hazardous working environments. The installation of this kind of protective equipment is a standard thing in the Unite States and in the other civilized countries from all around the world. This component will make the work in the hazardous domains, in which an explosion can occur any time, a more safer thing, reducing or even eliminating the dangers that are all time present.

Explosion Proof Enclosures are capable of retaining gases, mists and even vapors. All these very important components are made from very strong materials, in order to cope with the possible explosions. These components will need to be specifically engineered, rugged and durable, by highly - trained professionals, in order to stand in the most extreme conditions. Material such as aluminum, polyester, and even stainless steel is used in order to make the standard accepted worldwide Explosion Proof Enclosures.

The Explosion Proof Enclosures must be certified and accredited by some national and international institutions in order to be utilized in the industry. All these must be made after some very serious specifications, and will require passing many tests, in order to be mass produced and sold. The tests are hard, as hard as the job that these Explosion Proof Enclosures will have, when they will be put in function.

Nowadays, all the major industrial companies are investing in safety and security, and also in protection of their employees and environment, more than in the actual development of the efficiency of their products. Safety has become a great concerned in the major companies, because the most important thing in a company is the human factor. Losing the human factor, a company loses its knowledge and experience in that domain, which is more important than any other thing.

Protecting the people that are working in hazardous domains, by using Explosion Proof Enclosures, is the best thing to do, in order to have a safe & secure, profitable activity.

Explosion Injury Lawyers

Our world is a very dynamic one. The most amazing and brutal things happen at the least expected times. One of the brutal things that can happen is someone being involved in an explosion. Explosions may be classified into nuclear and chemical explosions. All in all, the after effects of explosions are not something to write home about. Some of the major effects of such explosions are loss of limbs, severe burns and mental damage.

One of the explosions that can take place and may cause major disaster is a nuclear explosion. This mainly happens through air waves and it is something that cannot be seen. The only way this can experienced is when there are severe burns appearing on a victims skin or much later when a couple gives birth to a deformed baby. The nuclear particles that were released as a result of the nuclear explosion can have a major negative effect. This is especially so for people who live within environs where nuclear reactors are located.

In another scenario, explosions are used in the mine fields when mining for certain minerals and precious stones. What some people may not know is that when bombs explode, there are certain wave that are released that affect the skin directly and, in future, will affect the offspring that come from someone.

After one notices such unusual happenings to them, one of the people they would like to contact is an explosion lawyer. The reason why you would want them is so that you get compensated. Some of the skin treatments as a result of explosions are very expensive. In addition to this, since someone will appear to have some 'strange' skin, the stares will make the person feel uncomfortable and may cause them to go for counseling. This also needs compensation.

The best person who can make sure that explosion victims are compensated is an explosion injury lawyer. The name may sound strange but with a little bit of research, you can get such lawyers to represent your case. As the name suggests, these are lawyers who mainly deal with accidents caused by explosion. It could be an oil explosion, mine explosion or even bomb explosion. Whatever kind of explosion it may be, these attorneys will be able to make sure that compensation and reimbursements are done to the affected victims. It is always advisable to do an online search for explosion injury lawyers within your area.

Explosive Chemicals - How Dangerous are They?

Enter at your own risk! The flammable hazard signs with their bright red flame graphic and danger wordings say it all. You are now entering a restricted area...

Many people have a natural fear of chemicals that catch fire easily. In fact, I know of some people who became so nervous whenever they have to come into the chemical areas that they lost their concentration and fumble about with their activities, visibly shaken. It is as if the whole place is going to explode in their faces anytime.

However, if this natural fear is allowed to paralyze us, there will not be any oil refinery, oil wells or even petrol stations anywhere. Industrial processes will literarily grind to a halt. People will be so afraid to handle these chemicals in their work.

This article tries to eliminate this natural fear by explaining the properties of flammable chemicals so that people will treat flammable chemicals with respect but not with fear.

Flash Point

Chemicals that are flammable will usually have a low flash point. What is this low flash point? It's the temperature at which the chemical will give out fumes sufficiently enough to catch fire when a lighted flame is brought near to it.

This means that a chemical having a lower flash point than room temperature will give out fumes capable of catching fire even though it is stored at normal room temperatures.

Thus, gasoline with flash point of -20 degree Centigrade will already be able to catch fire at normal room temperature if a light flame is present, while kerosene with flash point of 38 degree Centigrade will not burn when it is kept at a room temperature of 30 degree Centigrade.

Well, that's not totally correct either. In order to burn, three things must be present at the same time: fuel, oxygen and heat. When we talk about flash point, we are talking about the heat to generate sufficient gaseous fumes that can burn, but the chemical will not burn until a higher temperature is reached. That temperature is the ignition point.

Ignition Point

The ignition point can be reached if a lighted flame is brought near to the combustible fumes, or it can be from a sparking electrical contact or even from sparks produced from mechanical impact. Very often, it can even come from sparks generated by static electricity.

Even when all these conditions have been reached, fire will not start if there is not sufficient oxygen to support the combustion. This is a very important factor to consider especially when storing flammable chemicals.

Explosion Limit

Have you heard of the expression, too lean mixture or too rich mixture? If you have been messing around with diesel or petrol engines, you will certainly know about this. Garage mechanics know that if the fuel in the engine is either too lean or too rich, the engine will not start. What does this mean?

Diesel and petrol engines burn fuel very rapidly. The combustion of the fuel is so rapid that explosions occur inside the engine cylinders rather that slow burning like in a gas stove.

The explosion of the fuel-air mixture is what gives it the power to move pistons that will turn the crankshafts of engines.

Back to the issue of getting the right combustible mixture...

There is a range in the fuel-air mixture ratio that is just right for explosions. If the ratio is out of this range, no explosion can occur. Too lean mixture is when the amount of fuel is not sufficient to burn. Too much air, too little fuel.

When the fuel percentage increases further, the Lower Explosion Limit or LEL is reached. This is an explosive mixture.

If the fuel percentage increases further, it will reach a fuel-air mixture ratio that is too rich to support combustion, i.e. too much fuel, too little oxygen. That point is the Upper Explosion Limit or UEL. Both the LEL and UEL are expressed in percentage by volume.

So any percentage between the LEL and the UEL is within the explosive range. This is the explosive range that we have to control. In this range, fuel is present, and air is present. We have to be very careful not to have a spark or hot spot.

Let's have a hypothetical scenario. When a flammable chemical with low flash point is spilled in a room, the fumes will evaporate and fill the room. When the mixture has reached the Lower Explosive Limit, the whole mixture in the room is capable of exploding when a source of heat is brought in. This can be in the form of an electric spark, as when someone switches on the light.

If the chemical is left for a sufficiently long time, it will fill the whole room and saturates the atmosphere. The mixture then becomes too rich for combustion. It has reached the Upper Explosion Limit and the mixture will not explode even when a spark occurs. But this situation can turn dangerous when a person opens the door and switches on the light. The oxygen coming from the opened door may be just sufficient to bring down the too rich mixture to become an explosive mixture.

With this understanding, which do you think will be more dangerous: a tank full of flammable chemicals or a tank with only 1/4 full? If you are not sure, the answer is the 1/4 full tank. With both tanks having the same chance of being heated, the 1/4 full tank has more empty space that can contain oxygen whereas the full tank almost inevitably will be too saturated with the fuel and don't have sufficient oxygen to burn.

But what happens when a chemical in a full tank has to be pumped out?

Inert Gas Systems

On tanker ships, whenever crude oil or other flammable oil is pumped out, the space occupied by the oil must be replaced, otherwise, there will be a vacuum formed in the tank. This makes it impossible to pump the oil out further. To avoid atmospheric air from being sucked into the tank and creating an explosive mixture, inert gas is led into the tank at a slightly higher pressure than atmospheric.

This inert gas, containing mostly carbon dioxide and nitrogen, is generated from the burning of fuel in the steam boilers. This inert gas is pumped into the tank by means of blowers. The oxygen content in the exhaust gas must always be monitored. Usually it is around 5% and does not support combustion. To prevent corrosion and contamination of the oil, the exhaust gas is cleaned by passing them through a scrubber system. In this case, even though the tank may be nearly empty, the atmosphere above the chemical does not contain oxygen and there is no explosive mixture.

Explosion Proof Fittings

In these types of flammable chemical storage areas, care must be taken to avoid sources of heat that can trigger an explosion. To avoid sparking, flammable chemical storage facilities will have to follow certain safety standards with regards to installation of explosion-proof and intrinsically safe electrical fittings, lightings, wiring and earthing.

Handling of flammable chemicals need not be dangerous if we take the necessary precautions to avoid conditions that can cause fires to occur. So far, we have talked about engineering control only. The other aspect of control is people. They must be competent.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is a behavioral disorder characterized by extreme expressions of anger, often to the point of uncontrollable rage, that are disproportionate to the situation at hand. IED is marked by several discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result in serious assaultive acts or destruction of property. It occurs most often in young men.

IED should be distinguished from Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition, Aggressive Type, which is diagnosed when the pattern of aggressive episodes is judged to be due to the direct physiological effects of a diagnosable general medical condition.

IED attacks are out of proportion to the social stressors triggering them and are not due to another mental disorder or the effects of drugs or alcohol, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).

This is more common than once thought, according to study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health in a June 2006, but is relatively rare in people aged 60 and older. Intermittent explosive disorder "is very widely distributed in the population rather than being concentrated in any one segment of society," one researcher writes.

People with intermittent explosive disorder may have an imbalance in the amount of serotonin and testosterone in their brains. Individuals with Intermittent Explosive Disorder sometimes describe intense impulses to be aggressive prior to their aggressive acts.

Signs and symptoms--

Explosive eruptions, usually lasting 10 to 20 minutes, often result in injuries and the deliberate destruction of property. These episodes may occur in clusters or be separated by weeks or months of nonaggression.
Aggressive episodes may be preceded or accompanied by:

· Chest tightness

· Head pressure

· Hearing an echo

· Palpitations

· Tingling

· Tremor

Causes--

Most people with this disorder grew up in families where explosive behavior and verbal and physical abuse were common. Being exposed to this type of violence at an early age makes it more likely for these children to exhibit these same traits as they mature.

There may also be a genetic component, causing the disorder to be passed down from parents to children. Other conditions that must be ruled out before making a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder include delirium, dementia, oppositional defiant disorder, antisocial personality disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks, and substance withdrawal or intoxication. Lives have been torn apart by this disorder, but medications can help control you or your loved one's aggressive impulses.

Many psychiatrists do not place intermittent explosive disorder into a separate clinical category, but consider it a symptom of other psychiatric and mental disorders. Many psychiatric disorders are associated with impulsive aggression, but some individuals demonstrate violent outbursts of rage, which are variously referred to as rage attacks, anger attacks, episodic dyscontrol, or intermittent explosive disorder.

Explosive episodes may be associated with affective symptoms such as irritability or rage, increased energy, and racing thoughts during the aggressive impulses and acts, and rapid onset of depressed mood and fatigue after the acts. Some individuals may also report that their aggressive episodes are often preceded or accompanied by symptoms such as tingling, tremors, palpitations, chest tightness, head pressure, or hearing an echo.

Some disorders have similar or even the same symptoms. However, women also have problematic impulsive aggression, and some women have reported an increase in intermittent explosive symptoms when they are premenstrual. The aggressive episodes may take the form of "spells" or "attacks," with symptoms beginning minutes to hours before the actual acting-out. If a patient appears to be intoxicated by a drug of abuse or suffering symptoms of withdrawal, a doctor may order a toxicology screen of the patient's blood or urine to determine the possible source of the acting -out.

Age, race and socioeconomic status don't seem to be factors in predicting who suffers from IED-but gender does: Studies find nearly twice as many men display symptoms than women. Clinicians may be at fault for concentrating on secondary symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, and not asking about outbursts of anger. Sometimes what appears as discipline problems are symptoms of a pathology.

Risk factors--

People with other mental health problems - such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders and eating disorders - may be more likely to also have intermittent explosive disorder. Substance abuse is another risk factor. This disorder may result in job loss, school suspension, divorce, auto accidents or incarceration.

IED, an imbalance in brain chemicals, affects up to one in 20 people -- more men than women. IED-related injuries occur 180 times per 100 lifetime cases and is significantly comorbid with most DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and substance disorders.

Individuals with narcissistic, obsessive, paranoid or schizoid traits may be especially prone to intermittent explosive disorder. As children, they may have exhibited severe temper tantrums and other behavioral problems, such as stealing and fire setting.

IED can fuel road rage, spousal abuse, etc., and may also predispose people to other mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, and substance abuse problems. IED could very well be an overlooked explanation for the frequency of violent crimes committed by violent offenders.

Individuals with intermittent explosive disorder may attack others and their possessions, causing bodily injury and property damage. Later, they may feel remorse, regret or embarrassment about the aggression.

Screening and diagnosis--

The diagnosis is based on these criteria:

· Multiple incidents in which the person failed to resist aggressive impulses that resulted in deliberate destruction of property or assault of another person.

· The aggressive episodes aren't accounted for by another mental disorder, and are not due to the effects of a drug or a general medical condition.

· The degree of aggressiveness expressed during the incidents is completely out of proportion with the precipitating event.

Other conditions that must be ruled out before making a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder include delirium, dementia, oppositional defiant disorder, antisocial personality disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks, and substance withdrawal or intoxication.

People with intermittent explosive disorder may have an imbalance in the amount of serotonin and testosterone in their brains. They may also show some minor irregularities in neurological signs and electroencephalograms (EEGs).

Treatment--

Many different types of drugs are used to help control intermittent explosive disorder, including:

· Anti-anxiety agents in the benzodiazepine family, such as diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax).

· Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), gabapentin (Neurontin) and lamotrigine (Lamictal).

· Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil).

· Mood regulators like lithium and propranolol (Inderal).

Group counseling sessions, focused on rage management, also have proved helpful. Some people have found relaxation techniques useful in neutralizing anger.

Treatment could involve medication or therapy including behavioral modification, with the best prognosis utilizing a combination of the two. Treatment with antidepressants, including those that target serotonin receptors in the brain, is often helpful, along with behavior therapy akin to anger management.

If the patient appears to be a danger to himself or others, he may be committed against his will for further treatment. Researchers found that although 88% of individuals with IED studied were upset by the results of their explosive outbursts, but only 13% had ever asked for treatment in dealing with it.

Since the cause(s) of IED are not fully understood as of the early 2000s, preventive strategies should focus on treatment of young children (particularly boys) who may be at risk for IED before they enter adolescence. These patients often need psychological treatment along with medication treatment, and it is often very helpful to base their psychological treatment on addiction-based models.

Some patients with IED, often adult males who have assaulted their wives and are trying to save their marriages, are aware that their outbursts are not normal and seek treatment to control them. Younger males with IED are more likely to be referred for diagnosis and treatment by school authorities or the juvenile justice system, or brought to the doctor by concerned parents.

The success of treatment with lithium and other mood-stabilizing medications is consistent with findings that patients with IED have a high lifetime rate of bipolar disorder. Given its earlier age-of-onset, identifying IED early - perhaps in school-based violence prevention programs - and providing early treatment might prevent some of the associated psychopathology.

While 60 percent of people with IED seek professional treatment for a mood or substance problem, only about 29 percent receive treatment for their anger.