For over 25 years, Newson Gale has been in the business of protecting people and assets from the hazards of static electricity.
Static electricity continues to be one of industry’s most significant sources of igniting flammable and explosive gas and dust atmospheres. The Institute of Chemical Engineers and NFPA estimate that at least two serious fires or explosions are caused by static electrical discharges everyday. Published data shows that ignitions from static discharges rank as highly as over pressure faults in petrochemical handling and is second only to mechanical sparks for dust explosions (higher than hot surfaces).
Newson Gale serves industries where processes that generate significant amounts of static electricity have the potential to ignite flammable or explosive atmospheres. The major industries served are:
- chemical / petrochemical manufacturing and distribution
- pharmaceutical / clean room processes
- paints, coatings and solvents manufacturing and distribution
- food and beverage production and distribution
Newson Gale’s commitment to research and innovation in the field of static control has led to the creation of patented industry firsts that optimise the safety of people and protection of plant assets:
Tri-Mode technology: the only system to measure and confirm a positive static dissipative earth connection combined with ensuring only connection to a road tanker will permit product transfers.
Bond-Rite: the first static control clamp to indicate to the operator, via a green flashing LED, that a safe static dissipative bond is continuously monitored for the period of clamp attachment.
Our solutions are divided into three flexible product categories that are specified for customers depending on the level of safety required to protect people and plant assets from the flammable / explosive hazard. The three categories are described as:
Earth-Rite : continuous static dissipative monitoring with positive indication and interlock control outputs.
Bond-Rite : continuous static dissipative monitoring with positive indication.
Cen-Stat: mechanical earthing and bonding devices and hazardous area accessories.
Newson Gale’s sales engineers and network of distributors are on hand to provide direction and helpful advice in identifying optimum product solutions to static hazards for different processes.
Depending on the country specification, our equipment carries ATEX, FM, IECEx and SIL2 hazardous area approvals and certifications and are fully compliant with internationally recognised best practise standards for controlling static electricity:
Cenelec TR50404: Code of practice for the avoidance of hazards due to static electricity (2003).
NFPA 77: “Recommended Practice on Static Electricity” (2007).
American Petroleum Institute: “Protection Against Ignitions Arising out of Static, Lightning and Stray Currents” (2003).
Our website contains a wealth of downloadable information regarding the hazards associated with static and what companies can do to limit static electricity as a source of ignition. The free to download Earthing and Bonding booklet is a good first step in determining solutions that will solve static control problems specific to various manufacturing and handling processes. If readers want to learn more about static electricity in general, our free e-mail subscription, Ear To The Ground, features articles on various subjects linked to static electricity as a hazardous risk. If you wish to subscribe to the above or require information or advice on controlling static in hazardous areas visit the Newson Gale website at:
www.newson-gale.com ( North America) or
www.newson-gale.co.uk (EMEA).
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