Fire and Safety in the Oil and Gas Industry

The oil and gas industry has been fueling the wheel of development for mankind for a very long time. However, it is also one of those industries where safety is a major concern as it falls in the category of major hazards industry. Consequently, fire and safety have been recognized as an integral part of the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) official guidance for the oil and gas sector.

Despite a sharp reduction in accidents owing to technological developments, mishaps are still reported every year. This year has been no different. While Irving Oil reported a major incident at Saint John refinery, the Vohburg refinery in Germany registered fire and explosion at the site. India’s BPCL also experienced fire in the Hydrocracker unit at the Mahul refinery. A faulty valve caused the Husky Refinery explosion.

Amidst this backdrop, the companies operating in the firefighting and fire protection sector have gained immense significance. A few leading firefighting firms have been mentioned

1. Falck Fire Services – More than a century old, Falck runs the world’s largest private firefighting company. With a reach across 35 nations, the firm has developed many of the best practices over the years, which are now used globally. Falck has been providing industrial fire and rescue services to high-risk industries, including petrochemical plants. Falck provides a high–quality integrated fire protection
2. Unique Fire & Safety Ltd – This Canada-based firm has been known to exhibit a number of innovative fire and safety equipment. One such equipment is the Cold Fire extinguisher which is rather different than the normal fire extinguishers. These special extinguishers eliminate heat from the fire, breaking the chemical chain reaction, apart from encapsulating the fuel source to avert chances of re-ignition. The Cold Fire extinguisher can be used on all 4 classes of fire, making it effective against grease, oil, gasoline, and even flammable metals. Other products from the firm include StoveTop FireStop, Scene Lighting, and others.
3. Honeywell First Responder – One of the leading manufacturers of head-to-toe personal protective equipment, Honeywell is a big and trusted name in the area of innovation. Over 270 patents are a testimonial to Honeywell’s domination in technological advancements. The Honeywell team takes inputs from firefighters to design their products.
4. Leader – A common problem faced during rescue operations is locating the victim amidst all the smoke and rubble. Firefighting equipment manufacturer, Leader has devised a unique Ultra Wide Band device to pinpoint a person through chest movements produced by human breathing. Leader Scan can identify and locate live people trapped, buried or entombed. A highly sensitive device, it detects irregular movements, even hand or finger movement.
5. NEWAGE Fire Protection Industries Pvt Ltd – Almost 5 decades old, India’s NewAge Fire Protection is one of the largest manufacturers of Fire Fighting & Rescue Equipment. The firm has a global footprint of over 60 countries. Newage offers a wide range of high-quality firefighting equipment and products. The product line of Newage is highly diverse and includes Fire Pumps, Valves, Sprinklers System, Foam Equipment, Monitors, Nozzles, Cabinets, among others.

In the present times, with the ever-expanding pace of development, the oil and gas companies cannot afford fire damage or damage from explosions. While the requirements for fire protection systems in the oil and gas industry aren’t new, the importance placed on having the best in league products and technologies is witnessing a rise and, therefore investments are expanding. The companies mentioned above are certainly leading the other oil and gas firms by example with respect to fire protection solutions and strategies.

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