What is Intrinsic Safety?
Intrinsic Safety (IS) is an approach to the design of a safe environment for hazardous areas where flammable gasses, vapors are present in the working environment and ignition can come from a hot surface, or spark from an electronic device. The technique is based on limiting, electrical, thermal, and energy to a level below that enables an ignition due to the hazardous atmospheric mixture. Intrinsically Safe industrial equipment ranges from cameras, flashlights, gas detectors, radios, and cellphones.
For companies that require workers to use their existing smartphones in hazardous areas intrinsically safe cases are available for the latest iPhone and Android devices and are an alternative to an intrinsically safe specific smartphone.
What are the benefits of intrinsically safe equipment and devices?
When electrical equipment must be present in hazardous environments that can spark an ignition,intrinsically safe devices can offer several benefits:
Ensure a safe work environment and protects those nearby from explosion risks.
Reduce the cost of explosion-proof enclosures.
Maintenance and diagnostic work can be performed without shutting down production and ventilating the work area.
Reduce insurance premiums as an initiative for reducing risk in the workplace.
Who verifies intrinsic safety?
Intrinsically safe devices are tested and certified by independent third-party agencies. Testing from independent parties ensures that IS standards are met. Third-party agencies that test and certify IS devices are:
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
Factory Mutual Research Corporation (FM)
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
Intrinsic safety and the SafetyLine Lone Worker app
In situations where lone workers are required to work in extreme conditions and hazardous areas that require intrinsic safety, our SafetyLine Lone Worker app can still be accessed using intrinsically safe mobile device cases or intrinsically safe ultra-rugged smart phone devices specially made for operation of electrical equipment by limiting the energy, electrical and thermal, available for ignition. SafetyLine Lone Worker also recommends Sonim® technology as our preferred device which provides a variety of top-of-the-range smart mobile devices to protect your lone workers.