Frolic: It’s Happy Hour!

Recent improvements in thermal protection technology are
providing cost effective solutions for protecting hot pipes and
reducing work place burn hazards.

The Problem

Burn and scald injuries lead the way in workplace injuries that
result in lost time from work (average of 5 days per year per
burn or scald according the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004 -146). The
economic impact to employers and employees alike as a result of
these injuries can be overwhelming. A recent study conducted in
Oregon State suggested the average cost in that state for burn
injuries is $5,400 USD per incidence!

The Hazards

A major burn hazard source is found in industrial plants that
utilize steam process lines. In many typical applications hot
steam lines are initially covered with a permanent fixture of
hard lagging and mineral wool insulation. As plant processes
evolve or if system problems occur, sections of insulation are
often removed for troubleshooting, pipe replacement or line
reconfiguration. The removed sections of insulation are usually
irreparably damaged. Replacement costs for these small sections
can be cost prohibitive utilizing traditional insulation
techniques. The result is that the insulation is often never
replaced thereby creating a potential burn hazard.

A second major burn hazard source occurs at high temperature
flexible (steam/oil/heat traced) hoses that are connected to
moving machinery or equipment. Traditional hard lagging
insulating technologies are not flexible and therefore are not
capable of servicing these hoses. The result is that the hoses
are left un-insulated thereby creating a potential burn hazard
for personnel who service or operate adjacent equipment.

The scenarios above represent just two of literally thousands of
common applications where the potential for a serious workplace
burn injury exists.

The Solution

Recent advancements in thermal protection technologies are
utilizing closed cell silicone sponge rubber materials to create
a wrap for protecting hot process lines. Unlike traditional
mineral wool the sponge wrap system does not required a hard
lagging to contain the insulation material. It is extremely
flexible and may be cut to length with an ordinary pair of
scissors to allow for easy installation by in house maintenance
staff.

In many cases the insulation wrap is equipped with a hook and
loop closure to further simplify the installation on existing
lines without line disconnection or interruption. The hook and
loop closure also allows for easy access to process lines while
performing maintenance procedures or trouble-shooting system
components.

Due to its ease of installation and removable characteristics
the sponge wrap provides a good solution for protecting flexible
hoses and sections of process lines that are otherwise left void
of insulation.

The Technology This new technology introduces the use of closed
cell silicone sponge rubber as a thermal protection medium. This
material has a very low thermal conductivity and a high
temperature resistance making it an excellent choice as a burn
protection medium.

Unlike traditional insulation technologies (consisting fibrous
materials and hard outer cladding) silicone sponge rubber wrap
is easy to install and does not require the expertise and skills
of a professional contractor. The result is that the cellular
silicone sponge wrap is a cost effective technology that is well
suited covering a variety of potential burn surfaces.

The closed cellular nature of the silicone sponge rubber does
not allow for water or other liquids to infiltrate (”wicking”)
through the insulation medium. This enables the material to
function effectively as an insulator in exterior environments
when exposed to rain and other elements.

The inherent flexibility of the sponge wrap combined with the
aforementioned properties, makes it an excellent technology for
providing burn protection from high temperature flexible hoses
and sections of process lines that are left void of insulation.

The Benefits

With a minimal initial capital investment a typical plant can be
equipped with silicone sponge burn protection to significantly
reduce the risk of workplace injuries resulting in lost time.

In addition to minimizing burn injuries, protecting un-insulated
pipes will increase the overall plant efficiency leading to a
reduction in energy costs.

The Conclusion

Protecting un-insulating hot process lines with cellular
silicone rubber sponge technologies will demonstrate unrealized
energy savings while creating a safer workplace environment.