Dear Seniors,
We are a manufacturer of chemicals using solvents, etc. From a safety perspective, my safety officer suggests that HR should implement a mobile phone policy to prohibit the use of mobile phones in the plant. I am inquiring whether the use of mobile phones can potentially cause a fire. If so, have there been any incidents in the past, or are we simply assuming the risk?
Please guide us on this matter. Thank you.
From India, Mumbai
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52We are a manufacturer of chemicals using solvents, etc. From a safety perspective, my safety officer suggests that HR should implement a mobile phone policy to prohibit the use of mobile phones in the plant. I am inquiring whether the use of mobile phones can potentially cause a fire. If so, have there been any incidents in the past, or are we simply assuming the risk?
Please guide us on this matter. Thank you.
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Abhaya,
I'm not aware of any of the past incidents. However, it's advisable to use a mobile phone inside the chemical plant. Your security officer is right. It's not so easy to stop employees from using mobile phones. The effective way would be to install jammers inside the plant so that no signals would be active even if employees carry one.
Let's make the workplace more productive and safe!
Regards
From India, Bangalore
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I'm not aware of any of the past incidents. However, it's advisable to use a mobile phone inside the chemical plant. Your security officer is right. It's not so easy to stop employees from using mobile phones. The effective way would be to install jammers inside the plant so that no signals would be active even if employees carry one.
Let's make the workplace more productive and safe!
Regards
From India, Bangalore
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Dear friends,
If your safety officer had recommended it, he will also have to provide justification. Without reasonable cause, a safety officer cannot and will not recommend a policy decision. Did you seek the cause for such a recommendation from him?
It makes perfect sense to ban the use of cell phones "out in the field" on any production plant; not just because of electromagnetic radiation or sparks from the battery causing a fire, but also because the phone demands attention which people then do not pay to their surroundings.
It is a well-known fact that using a mobile phone while in a solvent vapor atmosphere could cause an explosion. It's from possible static charge that could build up on the person and then get discharged to cause the ignition. I have a video of a Shell burnt-out station after such a situation, killing the attendant. Those friends who are writing in should state their experience with Chemical Industries before commenting.
Cell phone makers, including Motorola and Nokia, have included warnings about not using cell phones around gas vapors. The danger from a mobile phone radio signal causing a fire is negligible, though a dislodged battery, or the voltage regulator of the battery if out of calibration and is letting your phone charge at 2 times the rate, or the battery in your phone is overcharged, and therefore could spark depending on the humidity, or heat, etc., it becomes all the more dangerous to cause a fire. In the past, cell phone batteries have exploded on their own, and the company had to withdraw those batteries from the market. In most refineries and gas plants where I worked, using mobile phones is strictly prohibited for fear of interference with their control systems too. One cannot even enter the premises with a mobile in their possession.
Two videos – one of Shell and the other while filling gasoline in a car – both from a mobile phone are available with me. On request through the forum, I may be able to send those to interested friends' email IDs.
A company had banned its employees from talking or texting on cell phones while working for safety reasons. Now it's taking the cell phone ban one step further.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is banning employees from carrying their cell phones on the job. The penalty if they do: termination.
The new rule came after a trolley rammed into another one, injuring the operator and nearly 50 passengers, derailing both trains, and causing MBTA service to be suspended at the Government Center in Boston for several hours. The crash totaled three trolley cars and caused $9.6 million in damage.
The operator of the trolley told investigators from his hospital bed that he was sending a text message to his girlfriend just before the crash. Preliminary information from an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board also shows the driver, Aiden Quinn, ran a red light just before the crash.
Before this incident, MBTA employees were allowed to carry cell phones but were banned from talking or texting while on the road or tracks. A first offense carried a three-day suspension, although the agency had the right to fire violators. MBTA's General Manager, Daniel Grabauskas, said the trolley driver in this crash would be fired.
"You are not to get on board that bus or [train or trolley] and have a cell phone on your person or in the cab."
"This is going to be a zero-tolerance policy." Officials said the new policy wouldn't compromise communications in an emergency because cabs are equipped with radios and emergency call buttons.
Transit officials say in the last 12 months, five train and trolley drivers and 13 bus drivers had been cited under the old policy. One bus driver was fired.
If your safety officer has recommended banning mobile phones at your workplace, there is no other way but to enforce it for safety's sake, please.
Regards,
Kesava Pillai
From India, Kollam
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If your safety officer had recommended it, he will also have to provide justification. Without reasonable cause, a safety officer cannot and will not recommend a policy decision. Did you seek the cause for such a recommendation from him?
It makes perfect sense to ban the use of cell phones "out in the field" on any production plant; not just because of electromagnetic radiation or sparks from the battery causing a fire, but also because the phone demands attention which people then do not pay to their surroundings.
It is a well-known fact that using a mobile phone while in a solvent vapor atmosphere could cause an explosion. It's from possible static charge that could build up on the person and then get discharged to cause the ignition. I have a video of a Shell burnt-out station after such a situation, killing the attendant. Those friends who are writing in should state their experience with Chemical Industries before commenting.
Cell phone makers, including Motorola and Nokia, have included warnings about not using cell phones around gas vapors. The danger from a mobile phone radio signal causing a fire is negligible, though a dislodged battery, or the voltage regulator of the battery if out of calibration and is letting your phone charge at 2 times the rate, or the battery in your phone is overcharged, and therefore could spark depending on the humidity, or heat, etc., it becomes all the more dangerous to cause a fire. In the past, cell phone batteries have exploded on their own, and the company had to withdraw those batteries from the market. In most refineries and gas plants where I worked, using mobile phones is strictly prohibited for fear of interference with their control systems too. One cannot even enter the premises with a mobile in their possession.
Two videos – one of Shell and the other while filling gasoline in a car – both from a mobile phone are available with me. On request through the forum, I may be able to send those to interested friends' email IDs.
A company had banned its employees from talking or texting on cell phones while working for safety reasons. Now it's taking the cell phone ban one step further.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is banning employees from carrying their cell phones on the job. The penalty if they do: termination.
The new rule came after a trolley rammed into another one, injuring the operator and nearly 50 passengers, derailing both trains, and causing MBTA service to be suspended at the Government Center in Boston for several hours. The crash totaled three trolley cars and caused $9.6 million in damage.
The operator of the trolley told investigators from his hospital bed that he was sending a text message to his girlfriend just before the crash. Preliminary information from an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board also shows the driver, Aiden Quinn, ran a red light just before the crash.
Before this incident, MBTA employees were allowed to carry cell phones but were banned from talking or texting while on the road or tracks. A first offense carried a three-day suspension, although the agency had the right to fire violators. MBTA's General Manager, Daniel Grabauskas, said the trolley driver in this crash would be fired.
"You are not to get on board that bus or [train or trolley] and have a cell phone on your person or in the cab."
"This is going to be a zero-tolerance policy." Officials said the new policy wouldn't compromise communications in an emergency because cabs are equipped with radios and emergency call buttons.
Transit officials say in the last 12 months, five train and trolley drivers and 13 bus drivers had been cited under the old policy. One bus driver was fired.
If your safety officer has recommended banning mobile phones at your workplace, there is no other way but to enforce it for safety's sake, please.
Regards,
Kesava Pillai
From India, Kollam
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Dear Sir,
The posting is very good. Now, for those who really wish to ban mobiles inside factory premises, they don't need to search for another reason.
Can you please share the two video clips with me to my mail id: dipil.vasu@adityabirla.com?
With regards,
Dipil Kumar V
From India
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The posting is very good. Now, for those who really wish to ban mobiles inside factory premises, they don't need to search for another reason.
Can you please share the two video clips with me to my mail id: dipil.vasu@adityabirla.com?
With regards,
Dipil Kumar V
From India
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Dear all, hello i m manoj searching any consultancy service which can provide HSE alerts/ amendments in HSE rules & regulations periodically can sombody help me plz. Thanx in advance Manoj
From India, Delhi
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From India, Delhi
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Dear meo786, It is reported that "Tried to send the video to the e mail Id given but failed" There seems- 'something wrong with the given Id' Please check and advise. Regards, Kesava Pillai
From India, Kollam
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From India, Kollam
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The activity of the animal beings has become acutely active everywhere on this earth. Bodies do not get time to booty a blow for a while. With the increasing use of different gadgets like GPS jammers, the possibilities of getting the briefest of breaks have completely vanished. Mobile phones or cell phones are some of these devices that keep people constantly in touch with the outside world. Mobile towers are also available almost everywhere these days, and due to this, the availability of cell phone jammers has become even quicker and more efficient. Today, you cannot escape the reach of these mobile towers as their signals can reach you almost anywhere. The situation of people belonging to various business professions has become very critical due to wifi jammers, as their authorities can track them at any moment.
From United States, Scranton
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From United States, Scranton
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Cell phones would be hazardous in chemical plants where inflammable chemicals are produced or processed. Just as cell phones pose a fire risk at gas pumps, the same risk would apply in chemical plants. Therefore, it is advisable to restrict the use of cell phones in the workplace or in sections of the plants where inflammable chemicals are used.
From India, Mumbai
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From India, Mumbai
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Dear Kesava Sir,
Thanks for the detailed post.
In an engineering industry, although static charge may not be a hazard, the "attention" becomes the issue. In our plant, we have designated zones where people can talk on mobile phones in the factory premises. Besides these zones, no one is allowed to talk on mobile phones in the workshop premises. If anyone is found deviating, their mobile phone is taken by security and can only be returned after permission from the Business Head. We have slowly seen positive results.
Request to share the video clips via email at asudhir17@rediffmail.com.
Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir
From India, Vadodara
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Thanks for the detailed post.
In an engineering industry, although static charge may not be a hazard, the "attention" becomes the issue. In our plant, we have designated zones where people can talk on mobile phones in the factory premises. Besides these zones, no one is allowed to talk on mobile phones in the workshop premises. If anyone is found deviating, their mobile phone is taken by security and can only be returned after permission from the Business Head. We have slowly seen positive results.
Request to share the video clips via email at asudhir17@rediffmail.com.
Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir
From India, Vadodara
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