Explosion Proof?!?!

Well the Evil saftey man is at it again!
He has now decided that we will all be using explosion proof flashlights because we are working around natural gas.
I attempted to reason with him and tell him that the lights are sealed and they wont explode, but that was useless.
The lights they have provided us with are barely justifiable as lights.
Dose anyone know af a Flashlight with decent output and says explosion proof somewhere ein the description or on the packaging?

I think the guy in charge is probably more ignorant than evil.

I'm assuming that any light rated for Haz-Mat use or for use around flammable gas should be okay.

Your two best bets are Streamlight and Pelican since both companies make those types of lights.

The Nitecore D10/EX10 are said to be safe in an explosive environment. I'm not sure about actual ratings though. Here's a quote from their announcement page

"* Electronically controlled switching - no spark generated from the piston contact since the microprocessor switches on the light AFTER the piston
makes contact. This eliminates the risk of explosion in a flammable
environment!"

Here is the page itself:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?p=2171699

I have the D10 and it's an exceptional light all around!

Pelican Super Sabrelight 3C, 47 lumens I believe. I love that light.

superflytnt said:

The Nitecore D10/EX10 are said to be safe in an explosive environment. I'm not sure about actual ratings though. Here's a quote from their announcement page

"* Electronically controlled switching - no spark generated from the piston contact since the microprocessor switches on the light AFTER the piston
makes contact. This eliminates the risk of explosion in a flammable
environment!"

Here is the page itself:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?p=2171699

I have the D10 and it's an exceptional light all around!

Click to expand...

'Said to be' DOES NOT EQUAL UL Class 1, Div 1 or Atex approval. It doesn't matter what features are in a light. If it hasn't undergone UL (or Atex) testing, then you can't safely or legally use it in a hazardous environment.

LukeA said:

'Said to be' DOES NOT EQUAL UL Class 1, Div 1 or Atex approval. It doesn't matter what features are in a light. If it hasn't undergone UL (or Atex) testing, then you can't safely or legally use it in a hazardous environment.

Click to expand...

+1

if youre working in a situation that safty regs require you to carry explosion proof lights, make damn well sure to carry a RATED explosion proof light.

The Nitecore series may eventually be tested to be all that, but as it isnt right now, dont risk it.

Crenshaw

LukeA said:

'Said to be' DOES NOT EQUAL UL Class 1, Div 1 or Atex approval. It doesn't matter what features are in a light. If it hasn't undergone UL (or Atex) testing, then you can't safely or legally use it in a hazardous environment.

Click to expand...

I know, that's why I specified that I wasn't sure about ratings. He'd have to contact Nitecore to get more info. Thanks for making that clear tho...............

AKCamper said:

Well the Evil saftey man is at it again!
He has now decided that we will all be using explosion proof flashlights because we are working around natural gas.
I attempted to reason with him and tell him that the lights are sealed and they wont explode, but that was useless.
The lights they have provided us with are barely justifiable as lights.
Dose anyone know af a Flashlight with decent output and says explosion proof somewhere ein the description or on the packaging?

Click to expand...

Actually most or if not all of the leds type of flashlights are explosion proof. Just that not a lot of them dare to claim this.

Same analogy as aircraft's parts. Why do you think they cost so much?

lengendcpf said:

Actually most or if not all of the leds type of flashlights are explosion proof. Just that not a lot of them dare to claim this.

Click to expand...

If they're not rated, then no technically they're not. There's more than the LED/ bulb that can spark to cause an explosion. Most Div 1 lights are made of plastic and have special switches.

Also please note that the smartPD lights DO spark when used in momentary mode or twisty mode. You can see this for yourself by removing the body of the light and activating the piston. Check out the Pelican 2020, it's a 3xC cell intrinsically safe LED light that has 35 lumens, the highest output of Pelican's Class 1/Div. 1 certified lights.

Check out Streamlight's site for a variaty of lights with a whole bunch of industrial safety ratings and decent output.

Underwater Kinetics also offers some intrinsically safe lights. Barbolight makes one ATEX/P rated light, the U04. If you're willing to drop the cash for one, it'll be brighter and much "cooler" than the other lights listed here. However if your job requires certification other than or beyond ATEX then it's back to square one.

AKCamper said:

I attempted to reason with him and tell him that the lights are sealed and they wont explode...

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I missed an earlier thread about the Evil Safety Man, but what light are you arguing to use? Is it Division I certified?

Low moleclar weight gases like methane (in natural gas) can penetrate super tight seals that are impenetrable to water. Waterproofness is no assurance of being safe around explosive gas. I agree that pretty much all the Div. I lights I have seen in catalogs have woeful output, but if you need a Div. I light, there is no substitute for a certified light.

The first question should be to the safety man:
What does explosion proof mean?

i.e. what standard(s).

Chances are the lights you have aren't actually 'explosion proof' - Flicking through a few notes I have from some training:

Ex 'd' =
Flame-proof (UK)
Explosion Proof (US) **

Contain explosion pressure
Cool exhausting gases
Control surface temperature.

Explosion proof is where you don't care that the equipment ignites the gas inside it - you know it probably will - the enclosure will withstand it and not ignite the gas outside the equipment: Think of an industrial motor (sparks from brush gear) or real heavyweight industrial lighting (in Ex 'd' enclosures). The enclosures don't have to be airtight or even watertight - the gaps ('flamepath') just have to be small enough not to transmit the heat from the flame externally and the enclosure has to deal with the pressure and make sure the outside surface doesn't get too hot. (Making them airtight can actually more problems - too much pressure to deal with / pressure piling as the explosion develops internally different to the original design)

Intrinsically safe lights, i.e. certain pelican's as mentioned are lights that **can't** ignite the atmosphere.

i.e.

Intrinsic safety Ex 'i'

No incendive sparks
No heat (with some gases, it doesn't take much - and hydrogen is pretty hard to seal against)
Inherently safe - not enough power in the system to cause any problems.
In-built circuit protection - energy limiting system are part of the design for normal and fault conditions
Infallibility - The energy limiting systems are designed to be unlikely to fail

An intrinsically safe torch usually isn't going to be much cop by definition (LED's are going to help a lot here) - usually only rated for low energy batteries (not much run time, no really bright lamps)

Been a while since I had to know too much about this though.

Don't forget - NO MODS - NO CHANGES (even changing the o-ring grease for a 'better' one or using better batteries)

Summary:

Explosion-proof (US terminology) Ex 'd' - it probably will ignite inside but it's designed to deal with it.
Intrinsically safe Ex 'i' - it cannot ignite anything.

Hope this waffle may give a few hints. (I'm from the UK so things may be a bit different when it comes to terminology from the standards)
Chances are, by the time I've finished flicking through the folder / written this, the one possibly (no promises) useful point in the drek above will already have been posted..........

I had no clue that there were so many refulations and specifications for safety flashlites.
I work in an area where im dealing with raw unprocessed natural gas. But it is all in the pipes and it isnt often that it gets out. When it dose, we are in a large outdoot open anrea and natural gas disipates rapidly. I have been using a 3D maglight with a TeraLux LED drop in, but im hesitant to tell for frar that he may ban me from using it. I still think he is just board and trying to stir up some stuff to make himself look good

Well maglights aren't even close to being hazardous location certified LED or not. You're probably going to want one of the larger pelican lights with the div 1 certification for hazardous environments. I'll have to side with your safety man on this one, if you're going to be working around flammable gasses on a regular basis you don't want to take any unnecessary risks. There's probably a dozen other things more likely to cause problems than the flashlight but every precaution is one less to worry about.

*edit* there's probably also insurance for the company to think about. If they can show that they used appropriate safety measures when an accident happens they can get insurance coverage. If not they (and you by extension) are up the $&!^ creek without a paddle.

Yoda4561 said:

*edit* there's probably also insurance for the company to think about. If they can show that they used appropriate safety measures when an accident happens they can get insurance coverage. If not they (and you by extension) are up the $&!^ creek without a paddle.

Click to expand...

Your probably right, unfortunatly, i didnt think about it like that. I would still rather have a 900lumen battery munching light machine.
LOL if anything is going to cause an explosion i would probably be our trucks that we leave running on location.

AKCamper
There was a recent propane explosion in Toronto that resulted in 2 deaths and the evacuation of thousands of people. The damage claims will be in the millions of dollars. The company has been shut down. That could be the trigger for the Evil saftey man to make sure everyone in your company is using the proper safety equipment. If what you are using do not have the proper safety rating you can not use it. Period.

Ask the Evil saftey man if you need Class 1 Div 1 or will the less stringent Class 1 Div 2 is acceptable.
Note many lights come in different versions:
General use, not safety rated;
Class 1 Division 2, occasional exposure to the hazardous material;
Class 1 Division 1, constant exposure to the hazardous material.
and you have to get the proper version.
The Streamlight propoly Class 1 Div 1 version has been reported as much dimmer than the Class 1 Div 2. (Can not remember the exact models)

BTW the certification testing includes the batteries. To maintain the safety rating you must use the same type and brand batteries used in the test.

-----

You meed an actual Class 1 Div 1 or Class 1 Div 2 rating BY THE PROPER SAFETY AUTHORITIES.
Manufacturer's claims are not acceptable.
AFAIK Nitecore DID NOT SEND THEIR TORCHES TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES FOR TESTING so bye bye Nitecore.

superflytnt said:

The Nitecore D10/EX10 are said to be safe in an explosive environment. I'm not sure about actual ratings though. Here's a quote from their announcement page

"* Electronically controlled switching - no spark generated from the piston contact since the microprocessor switches on the light AFTER the piston
makes contact. This eliminates the risk of explosion in a flammable
environment!"

Here is the page itself:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?p=2171699

I have the D10 and it's an exceptional light all around!

Click to expand...

Underwater Kinetics 4AA is rated Class 1 Div 2 by UL-FM-CSA
tight smoke cutting beam-has venting check valve to allow gases
from corroding batteries to escape without damaging O ring.

Includes 4 Duracell which must be used to maintain rating.

Runs about $25 and is approved for Firefighter helmet use.

Hope this helps.

AKCamper said:

Your probably right, unfortunatly, i didnt think about it like that. I would still rather have a 900lumen battery munching light machine.
LOL if anything is going to cause an explosion i would probably be our trucks that we leave running on location.

Click to expand...

Tell me where you guys do your typical work and I can make sure one of these trucks makes a disappearance...

*cough*

From the Streamlight line-up, I like the Survivor LED. Big, but it works extremely well. Standard turn-down gear for firefighters across the US.

http://streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=88#tabs