Calibration In Hazardous Locations

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Striking a match in an environment that contains combustible gas is nothing short of dangerous – personal injury and property damage are likely consequences. Improperly calibrating an instrument in this hazardous environment can be almost as dangerous.

The materials and fluids used in some processes can be hazardous in the sense that they can ignite or explode. For example, hydrocarbons in mines, oil refineries, and chemical plants are flammable and are typically contained within vessels and pipes. If this were truly the case, an external flame would not ignite the hydrocarbons. However, in many locations, leaks, abnormal conditions, and fluid accumulation may allow hydrocarbons to be present such that the flame could ignite the hydrocarbons with disastrous results. Hydrocarbons and other flammable fluids are not limited to the petroleum and chemical industries. For example, combustible fuels, such as natural gas, are used in all industries, including agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, power generation, pulp/paper, water/wastewater, universities, retail, and in the home. In addition, many materials and fluids used in seemingly "safe" industries are themselves flammable. Even seemingly safe water treatment systems use combustible materials such as chlorine in their processes. This means that certain areas of a water treatment plant may well be considered hazardous. Similarly, certain areas of food plants, such as reactors that hydrogenate oils, may pose hazards as well. Therefore, it is important for plants to examine their processes and identify hazardous locations so that the proper instruments are selected, installed, and maintained in accordance with practices that are appropriate for the hazard.

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•White Paper: Calibration In Hazardous Locations