Safety Drive Prompts Audits For 2016 Explosion Proof Forklifts

To counter the highly explosive problem of defective explosion proof forklifts being used in hazardous areas, Pyroban is offering Ex-ASA annual safety inspections as part of the purchase price of the conversion.

A recent study by the explosion protection specialist has raised concerns that safety is not being maintained correctly on some industrial sites, fearing many explosion proof forklifts are unsafe and could cause an explosion.

“Explosion proof forklifts are highly specialised pieces of safety equipment that should be maintained and audited in a very different way to standard forklifts,” said Darren Boiling, Group After Sales Manager. “We care about the continued safety of our customers and want to make sure they fully understand their responsibility and continued safety commitments.

“We are offering an Ex-ASA audit for all European trucks converted by Pyroban in 2016, which will be carried out as part of the initial purchase of the machine,” he added, explaining that the Ex-ASA annual safety audit is a thorough inspection of the safety critical components on an explosion proof forklift.

Explosion proof forklifts are widely used in industries where flammable material is being processed or stored such as a chemical factory, waste treatment plant, distillery or even a food processing operation. Pyroban converts standard forklifts integrating various explosion protection technologies. The conversion process is strictly regulated and can take months of skilled engineering, rigorous testing and certification.

The inspection can be carried out at any location by one of Pyroban’s CompEx accredited engineers and it works in unison with the service support offered by forklift truck suppliers. All safety critical components of Pyroban’s explosion protection system are inspected and recorded, including Exd enclosures, cables and glands, shutdown devices, conductivity and fork cladding.

If no irregularities have been found, the truck will be declared safe for use and a certificate will be issued to support the Explosion Protection Document (EPD). Irregularities need to be repaired immediately, followed by re-inspection.

All Pyroban explosion proof forklifts purchased in 2016 and delivered into Europe will receive the first year Ex-ASA as part of the initial purchase. Pyroban will contact customers to arrange a suitable time for the audit based on delivery of the truck. To complement this, the company can also provide an inclusive offer for safety inspections for the life of the equipment in service.