In collaboration with our channel partner, Dropsafe, Teksal Safety was featured in the latest edition of the Petroleum Australia magazine in the technical article, ‘Dropsafe dropped object solutions improve site safety’, as part of a dropped object prevention feature.
We’ve republished the article in full below or you can read it online on page 50.
Dropped objects pose a significant hazard to oil and gas workers, being among the top causes of fatality and serious injury in the sector.
These incidents can occur because of collisions during lifting operations, vibration from drilling activities and operating equipment, inadequately installed fixtures, or human error.
Both static and dynamic dropped objects incidents are common in oil and gas. Dynamic drops occur during construction, installation and unloading – for example, a light installation being hit by a lifting crane during unloading.
On the other hand, static dropped objects can happen due to offshore corrosion or inadequate fittings, causing cameras, pipes and other fixtures to come loose and fall.
Due to oil and gas plants being exposed to these severe conditions and hazardous risks, reinforcing guardrailing with a barrier system which is able to withstand impacts, vibration, and corrosion can provide additional safety for workers.
However, many options are not adequately resilient and can have several shortcomings, including expanded metal. Also, as saltwater significantly increases the risk of corrosion for metal-based products, they need high-maintenance recoating for protection.
To address this, Dropsafe, in collaboration with the sector, has developed the most advanced dropped object prevention technology.
The Dropsafe Barrier and Matting solutions enable companies to prevent dropped objects falling/causing harm and slips and trips in the workplace, particularly for onshore and offshore oil and gas facilities.
An industry-leading solution, the Dropsafe Barrier can be used for both permanent and temporary catwalks, deck areas, gangways, monkey boards, stairways, elevated work platforms, portable safety railings, scaffolding structures, cherry pickers, machinery spaces, and crane boom walkways.
It was designed to prevent items such as tools, water bottles, hard hats, two-way radios, aerosol spray cans, shackles, and maintenance equipment from falling through open guardrailing, stairways and elevated work platforms.
How does it work?
The Dropsafe Barrier panels attach along the inside of the guardrailing of elevated walkways, stairways, access ways of permanent or temporary structures, using a universal attaching system.
It features a high-impact resistance of 62.5 joules, a small mesh honeycomb aperture of 19.8 millimetres, and is designed to withstand category five wind speeds.
The impact resistance, coupled with the small honeycomb aperture of the barrier panels, prevent loose items falling from height where the barrier is installed.
Suitable for use in harsh environmental conditions, proven by five years of weather testing, the Dropsafe Barrier has achieved ABS DOPP+ Type Approval.
With occupational health and safety paramount in the sector, oil and gas operations require robust and durable solutions for worksite walkways and flooring.
In partnership with Plastex, a renowned matting manufacturer, Dropsafe developed Dropsafe Matting, a non-porous PVC system for use on worksite walkways and flooring.
The Dropsafe Matting has a two-layer, open-grid construction, preventing small items dropping from walkways or platforms above, and its diamond-cut pattern offers a high-traction, anti-slip surface.
How is it installed?
The strong, hardwearing system is laid on walking working surfaces situated at height.
It contours to uneven surfaces and its module comes with factory-fitted edging to fit snugly against walkway perimeters.
With high levels of resistance to UV, chemicals, oil and acid, the Dropsafe Matting system is an ideal solution for operators working in harsh industrial settings.
The global leader in dropped object prevention, Dropsafe addresses dropped object risks to make workplaces safer.
Teksal Safety is the Australian distributor for Dropsafe’s dropped object prevention solutions.
For more information about these products or any of our industrial safety solutions, email sales@teksal.com.au.
