THE increasing complexity of industrial processing and manufacturing plants — and increasing employer liability for workplace accidents - is focusing attention on safety as the traditional Christmas-new year maintenance season approaches.
The value of clear colour-coding of pipelines and the use of light, clean and easily handled materials are fundamental to hazard avoidance and getting work done within narrow windows of opportunity, says safety advocate and polymer pipeline manufacturer John McNab.
“As more and more services are concentrated — water, air, gases, chemicals, waste and recycling conduits — risks of mix-ups are increased commensurately, McNab said.
"Busy process and maintenance workers don’t want to worry about what’s in the pipes they’re working around when another deadline is looming. It’s up to safety-conscious employers to take them out of harms way - or quite possibly face the consequences in court."
McNab, of Calair Pipe Systems, whose permanently colour-coded products are used in more than 10,000 installations throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and worldwide, said apart from needing to know quickly where to find the conduits to pneumatic, chemical, waste, water and other services, there was an enormous safety concern involved if the worker accidentally opens or cuts into the wrong pipe.
"Quite literally, it can be a life or death matter if someone mistaken cuts into a flammable gas line believing it to be an air or water line," McNab said.
"It is self-evident that in an emergency people have to be able to quickly identify pipes such as 'Red' coloured pipes for fire services. But it is equally important that people know immediately which pipes are carrying oil, for example, or hazardous chemicals, so they can shut them down.
"If, through lack of awareness of the standards required, all the pipes are black or randomly coloured or poorly identified, then employers may find they have an accident waiting to happen.
"Despite the fact that typically it costs no more to comply with the standard than not to comply with it, we still find many people contemplating industrial and building installations that fall short of ideal colour-coding or ID tagging."
It was with these considerations in mind that Calair Pipe Systems evolved its Pro-Pipe II range of tough but lightweight piping systems that are permanently colour-coded to conform with the requirements of international standards. Guaranteed for 10 years and with typical expected lifespans of 50 years depending on applications, CalAir’s entire Pro Pipe II range is permanently colour-coded in accordance with AS 1345-1995, including AQUA for compressed air, BEIGE for gas, GREEN for water, RED for fire services, VIOLET for acids and alkalines, BROWN for oil and BLACK for waste.
The Calair system has won markets internationally by being among the toughest and lightest pipeline system available anywhere - and recyclable as well. An entire system can be readily dismantled and moved to a new use or new location without the need for welding equipment and extensive specialised labour.
It is eight times lighter than equivalent steel product and 30 per cent lighter again than equivalent PVC.
"The weight factor is important when you consider the latest figures from Safe Work Australia - which reflect international trends - show that body stressing (also referred to as manual handling) accounts for 41 per cent of all serious workers compensation claims," McNab said.
"Additionally, slip, fall and trip accidents accounted for more than 25,000 new workers compensation cases annually and many of these could probably be related to carrying or handling heavy objects."
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