Radios in Dangerous Working Areas

Safety Working in Gas Dust & Fibres

There is no doubt that if you work in any hazardous environment then the risk to employees or the public can be increased many fold. A simple mistake even in somewhere like a bakery where flour dust can be in the air could prove fatal... simply because it creates a highly explosive area and any fire or for example electrical spark could set of the whole building and kill many. There are so many unsafe and hazardous areas that like this example they are not necessarily obvious to a layman. But the results could be catastrophic.

hazardous area and two-way radios

Anyone working where there is gas of any kind that is combustible, dust environments like bakeries, areas where fibre gets in to the air, chemical plants, oil refinery or other petroleum based sites need very special equipment to keep the employees and public safe. There is strict legislation and very high safety standards that apply to such operations and failure to adhere to them will result in injury or prove fatal. There is no alternative to working safely.

In the communications business it is well known about the hazards generally and manufacturers often have specific designs of two-way radios called ATEX and those radios have been tested to extremely stringent levels to be safe for dangerous or hazardous surroundings or areas when in use.  One radio is a Hytera PD715 ATEX or Hytera PD795 ATEX in the series, an ICOM F61 that meets all ATEX requirements and is extremely good pricing.

Bearing in mind the recent update to the Corporate Manslaughter act and the implications that it brings to employers that are in any way negligent or fail to provide satisfactory equipment to protect employees it would be folly not to follow the guidelines and the HSE have published guidelines and FAQ's to help employers. Also where dangerous or hazardous working environments are concerned the HSE has also published an ATEX and explosive atmospheres guide for companies that operate in those surroundings. You will find this useful if you need to be up to date on your site.

So what is ATEX?
ATEX is the name given to the two pieces of legislation or European Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres:

Directive 99/92/EC (also known as 'ATEX 137' or the 'ATEX Workplace Directive') specifies minimum requirements for improving the health and safety protection of workers who might be potentially at risk while working in explosive atmospheres. The Directive and the supporting guidelines are available on the EU-website. It is likely that even if the UK leaves the EU that this legislation will remain.

Directive 94/9/EC (also known as 'ATEX 95' or 'the ATEX Equipment Directive') on the approximation of the laws of Members States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The text of the Directive and EU produced supporting guidelines are available on the EU website.

Ensuring that all health and safety aspects of this legislation are adhered to is not an option but a requirement.

Equipment we sell have long battery life, have crystal clear audio and high volume, are fully ATEX approved, have maximum output allowed by Ofcom for long range, are extremely robust and can operate in seriously difficult surroundings, are waterproof of course and feature emergency and lone worker use for complete peace of mind. But most of all, all radios get supported by a team of people that have a real want to ensure that your communications devices get the best support directly from our company to you completely free.

So while there are many companies selling  radios, we have a history of doing so since 1989 and can advise you on the best model to suit your needs. We are not biased towards any particular brand and that makes sense so that we can offer the best solution for our customers. Call us on 01782 537000 and speak with one of our specialist team for radios that meet all the needs that you have.

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