In recent years, there has been an explosion in data centre development in Ireland. Leading the way was Microsoft, which developed a vast data centre at Grange Castle near Clondalkin in 2009.Now nearly all of the big technology companies such as Amazon and Google have a data centre footprint here. There are plans for more Data Centres such as the giant €850 million data centre Apple is planning in Athenry, Co Galway. Electricity or power is now one of the key considerations in selecting an appropriate site and in the on-going management of a Data Centre. Electricity or power is … Continue reading →

The use of thermal image cameras or Infrared Forehead Thermometer offer a non contact solution to assess a persons body temperature when correctly operated. When evaluating individuals under the changing environmental conditions the inner canthus of the eye or tear ducts has been demonstrated to be a robust measurement site and is supplied by the internal carotid artery (40 Degrees). ISO/TR 13154:2017 Provides general guidelines for the deployment, implementation, and operation of a screening thermograph intended to be used for non-invasive febrile temperature screening of individuals under indoor environmental conditions to prevent the spread of infection.

What is PAT Testing? Portable appliance testing (commonly known as PAT or PAT Inspection or PAT Testing) is a process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked for safety. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing process) begins by simply observing a portable appliance, followed by a formal visual inspection, concluding with a formal inspection by a person deemed competent to perform the testing.

According to the latest statistics published by OSHA, Lockout Tagout (LOTO) violations rank 5th among the top 10 cited violations during FY 2014. The General Industry Standard (1910.147), related to the Control Hazardous Energy, aka LOTO, recorded 2,704 violations, roughly midway between the numbers from the previous years – 3,254 in 2013 and 1,572 in 2012. This rule reportedly covers millions of workers who, as a part of their daily jobs, are exposed to diverse energy sources of varying magnitudes.   Paying attention to critical areas as identified by OSHA can help counter the most common Lockout Tagout violations, including … Continue reading →

Class I appliances are potentially the most dangerous appliances. An earth bond test is only applicable to a class 1 appliance with exposed conductive parts. A PAT tester does an Earth Bond or Earth Integrity Test, which shows whether the earth conductor is in a satisfactory condition. A multimeter or insulation tester will only locate a fault when there is  a complete break present in the conductor. The earth bond test measures the resistance of the earth from the pin of the mains supply plug to the earthed body of the appliance and indicates how good the connection is. The earth bond … Continue reading →

Efficient energy metering and management is a key concern that continues to challenge companies across the world. Rising energy costs have forced them to make better use of building automation, metering, data acquisition and processing systems to track consumption, wastage and demand at a granular level and optimise energy utilisation. Many organisations are now exploring new alternatives such as distributed energy resources (DERs) to address their growing energy needs. ISO 50001 is an international standard that offers a comprehensive framework to setup, apply maintain and enhance the effectiveness of Energy Management Systems (EnMSs) on a continuous basis. Based on the … Continue reading →

The process of Lockout Tagout varies depending on the specific needs of a workplace. There are many factors to take into account when deciding on the correct lock out tag out process. Factors such as, the size of the operations being processed on the premises and the quantity of people involved, that are directly or indirectly exposed to these work areas. Knowing this information we can efficiently verify the type, number and placement of lockout devices to secure the work area before a scheduled maintenance or an emergency repair job. It is best practise to locate and store lockout devices in … Continue reading →

When there is a danger of being exposed to an electric arc, personnel are advised to wear arc approved protective clothing. IEC 61482-2 is the overall standard that covers protective clothing against the thermal arc hazards of an electric arc. The IEC 61482-2 standard also covers various aspects of the garment design. This is a requirement for selling garments for arc flash protection within the EU. Garments complying with all of these requirements outlined under IEC 61482-2 should be marked with the IEC 61482-2 symbol as well as the level of protection it meets.

Calibration has become a neccessity in Ireland in recent years due to health and safety regulations and quality control. It is critical that every company and service supplier under- stands their role in relation to calibration. Calibration has been a daily occur-rence in the manufactur-ing industry for many years as an essential tool for ensuring their methods are held to a high standard and allowing them to obtain high quality certification, i.e. ISO9001 etc.. Due to Health and Safety regulations, the need for calibration with service providers has increased dramatically. The CER has been devoting themselves to raise the standard … Continue reading →

Who exactly needs to do PAT Testing? And what is involved in the PAT Testing process? PAT Testing needs to be carried out by any organisation that has portable appliances in their place of work. But was exactly is a portable appliance? In short, a portable appliance is any electrical device with a plug.

This is a synopsis of a thermal imaging case study that focuses on the facilities management intensive operations factors such as power supply, heating, ventilation, and maintenance in the health sector. Thermal Imaging Case Study: The Issue A district hospital group, consisting of five hospitals including one large central hospital with intensive care facilities and additional polyclinics, has a facility area comprises 450,000 sq m.

1. Class Leading Image Quality Fluke puts great emphasis on image quality and performance of the camera. Thanks to the high resolution sensors and 100 % diamond turned germanium lenses the resulting images are simply excellent. The built in regular image camera allows to blend the thermal image with regular depicting surroundings of the measurement area giving clear indication to where the camera is pointing to. 2. Communication Without Boundries Did you ever think that your tools could speak to one another? Now they can! Every Fluke Thermal Imaging Camera has the wireless communication module built in to enable communication … Continue reading →

Briefly summarised, PAT Testing or Portable Appliance Testing begins with the examination of a portable appliance, followed next by a precise visual inspection by an individual that is competent in preforming tests, Step 1: Observe To start the process simple observation of the PAT testing process takes place. It is a crucial step that can’t be missed. An example situation where PAT testing is necessary would be if the company kettle were to have a cracked plug, the safety officer or office manager should be alerted Step 2: Precise Visual Inspection Portable appliances in the workplace should undergo the process … Continue reading →

Gate, Ball and Butterfly Valves Valves, in a myriad of designs and sizes, are an integral part of piped systems that convey gases and liquids. They serve to control and regulate the flow of these substances in a safe, secure and prescribed manner. There are several types of valves that are in common use, including but not limited to the Gate, Ball and Butterfly valves. Maintaining such piped systems require the right type of lockout device that best suits the valve type, to ensure the safety of both the technicians and environment. It’s important to understand how these valves function, where and … Continue reading →