Safety in our work environment is very important, and having the right protective equipment and tools can save our lives. Non-sparking tools are designed not to generate sparks due to friction. Their use is recommended in petrochemical industries, power plants, fuel or flammable material warehouses, among others; in this blog post, we will look at the different tools, their composition, and care.
Non-sparking tools are made with alloys of different metals, and the most common is bronze with aluminum, and some usually contain small amounts of beryllium, nickel, and cobalt. In addition, these tools have anti-magnetic properties, so they can be used near machines that cannot operate near electromagnetically sensitive elements.
To select the appropriate one, there is the ATEX Directive, which suggests and classifies the use of these tools; they are defined by the presence of gas, mist, vapor, and dust as follows:
-Gas, vapor, and mist:
-Zone 0: A place where the atmosphere is a mixture of air or dangerous substances in the form of gases, vapors, or mist that are continuously present for long periods or frequently.
Zone 1: A place where the atmosphere is a mixture of air or dangerous substances in the form of gases, vapors, or mist as a normal operation.
Zone 2: A place where the atmosphere is a mixture of air or dangerous substances in the form of gases, vapors, or mist that does not occur in normal operation but, if it does, will be present for a short period.
-Dust
-Zone 20: A place where an atmosphere in the form of clouds or combustible dust is continuously present for long periods or frequently.
-Zone 21: A place where an atmosphere in the form of clouds or combustible dust in the air occurs in normal and occasional operation.
-Zone 22: A place where an atmosphere in the form of clouds or combustible dust is not something that occurs in normal operation, but if it does occur, it will remain only for a short period.
Because their use is wide, we can find adjustable wrenches, hammers, mallets, spatulas, screwdrivers, brushes, chisels, pliers, among others; in Figure 1, we can see some of these tools.
To properly protect your tools, the following is recommended:
-Keep tools clean
-Do not use them in environments with acetylene
Continuously inspect and repair tools to maintain their hardness, resistance, and rotational capacity.
