WALDNER Brief - Nr. 172.pdf - Waldner Firmengruppe

Functional interdisciplinarity
of ex-proof laboratory furniture
by maic.manz@waldner.de (deutsche Version siehe Seite 24)
Explosion protection is an ultra-complex topic with which companies have increasingly
had to deal with in recent years. ATEX (ATmosphère EXplosive) guidelines have been
growing in importance, due to increasing technical issues relating to explosion protection
in laboratories alongside the theoretical considerations and solutions associated with this
and ultimately their practical implementation in laboratory construction.
For safety reasons, it is therefore advisable for all laboratory
operators to examine whether there is adequate explosion
protection in their laboratories. Explosion protection
is not needed in laboratories where only modest quantities
of hazardous materials are used and where there is only a
modest risk in terms of explosion protection. In terms of the
Edict for Harmful Substances (GefStoffV 12.2010), "modest
quantities" can be quantities of as little as 2.5 litres for
instance, however to ensure that a "modest quantity" can
also be assessed as a "modest hazard" requires that the type
and extent of exposure to the hazardous materials is also
modest (see page 26).
Laboratories, like all other places of work, are governed
by statutory regulations, like the Edict for Harmful Substances
(GefStoffV), German Technical Rules on Operating
Safety (TRBS), Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances
(TRGS), German Explosion Protection Guidelines (BGR),
Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies
Guidelines (VDE), Guidelines for Laboratories, Accident
Prevention Regulations (GUV 19,17), DIN, etc. Clear
regulations are needed when handling hazardous materials
to protect the people working with these materials,
especially when you consider that even small quantities of
flammable liquids can evaporate to become large volumes of
flammable fumes.
It is therefore imperative that potential hazards are identified
when a laboratory is being planned that appropriate
ex-proof laboratory furniture is selected to ensure that tests
can be performed safely, thereby ensuring that potential
hazards can be minimised to a reasonable level and that lab
users can work safely.
WALDNER Laboreinrichtungen integrated explosion protection
specifications into its laboratory furniture at an early
stage. The SCALA laboratory furniture range benefits from
the experience gained from earlier Waldner furniture ranges
and therefore included ex-proof components in its range
from the very start. A team of experts is on hand at WALD-
NER to assist with the planning and installation of laboratories
like this from the start in order to meet individual
customers' requirements in terms of the selection of suitable
ex-proof laboratory furniture.
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