Safety is everyone’s concern and new wireless network (Wi-Fi) technology being deployed in the harsh environments of chemical plants and refineries could soon start to show up on construction sites.
These systems are the digital version of the canaries in the coal mine and put simply, Wi-Fi saves lives, say experts.
As Neil Bhattacharya, principal director at Accenture Canada explained, the first step is to create a Wi-Fi environment at the location. Advances in technology have made that part an easy off-the-shelf option.
Next, it’s about deploying sensors to capture data. In the case of individual workers, either on-staff crews or contractors on site for maintenance or construction jobs, they’re given ID tags and body-worn sensors while sensor stations are also deployed around the site.
All that data then streams through Wi-Fi to a central monitoring station, where software keeps a vigilant eye on conditions.
One of the first levels monitored is the air itself since a gas leak is extremely hazardous and those are usually monitored through standing sensors. Body sensors track other data such as temperature, movement and location. More sophisticated sensors can track heart rates.
The tracking capability is also useful to create an alert when a contractor drifts into an unauthorized location, using a technology called geo-fencing, which uses triangulation of Wi-Fi signals to pinpoint where the sensor is located.
For example, Accenture worked with Marathon Oil at their Robinson Refinery in Illinois, a 1,000 acre site with a risk of hydrogen sulphide.
The Accenture Life Safety Solution includes a gas detector and a panic button for medical emergencies.
It also identifies the wearer by name and location.
"At refineries, processing plants, pretty well anywhere you have a lot of infrastructure, there are a lot of contractors to manage," he said.
"At most refineries the people coming in are contractors. They meet with the tech lead and they’re issued a work permit which describes the work to be done, whether it’s excavation at a specific place or whatever."
The permit will also spell out hazards such as overhead wires or other health and safety issues specific to that location.
Where the Wi-Fi-based sensor network really pays off, however, is in long cycle planning, he said.
"You have a plan for a contractor to show up and do seven days of work at the plant. You give them a badge and they go to work but they don’t have to check in every hour or on a job by job, task by task basis. That’s where we see the value and that’s where we are doing it."
The critical point of Wi-Fi is the environment of the site. In high hazard sites, such as working next to a wellhead where explosive gases or vapours may be present, there are strict restrictions on the type of Wi-Fi equipment which may be used or installed.
"In these areas you can’t use anything with a screen, for example," Bhattacharya said.
"It’s not the Wi-Fi, but the environment. Basically they go in with overalls, no watches or smartphone. It’s not that the device will trigger an explosion, but that if something goes wrong it could become a projectile."
Monitoring equipment and infrastructure to track for corrosion or pending failures has become a standard for many manufacturers like General Electric.
What’s also become commonplace is data analytics through big data techniques, which run search queries against the complied data to look for patterns.
The upshot is to be able to better predict pending failures which not only flags common problems but also anticipates an issue, allowing for preventive maintenance to be deployed perhaps even before the scheduled cycle.
This could prevent down time and a lag in parts ordering.
These sensors are becoming so commonplace they can be deployed permanently, he said.
"They can be put in with the concrete as it’s poured. So, as it cures, it can be monitored from the inside," he said.
"It is common practice in mining with walls and getting more common in basic construction. The biggest worry for construction companies building dams and large projects with lots of concrete is heat generation and controlling that."
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