New Technologies for Preventing Workplace Burn Injuries

The Problem

Heat burns and scalds lead the way in workplace injuries that result in lost time from work, costing a median of 5 lost days per incident (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Publication No. 2004 -146). The economic impact to employers and employees alike can be overwhelming. A recent study conducted in Oregon State suggested the average cost in that state for burn injuries is US$5,400 per incident!

A major burn hazard is found in industrial plants that utilize steam process lines. In many typical applications hot steam lines are initially covered with a permanent fixture of hard lagging and mineral wool insulation. As plant processes evolve or if system problems occur, sections of insulation are removed for troubleshooting, pipe replacement or line reconfiguration. The insulation around these sections is usually irreparably damaged in the process. Since replacing these small sections can be cost prohibitive, it is often not replaced thereby creating a potential burn hazard.

A second major burn hazard occurs at high temperature flexible hoses that are connected to moving machinery or equipment. Traditional hard lagging insulating technologies, being inflexible, are not capable of servicing these hoses. The result is that the hoses are left un-insulated, creating a potential burn hazard for personnel who service or operate adjacent equipment.

These scenarios represent just two of literally thousands of common situations where the potential for a serious workplace burn injury exists.

The Solution

Recent advancements in thermal protection technologies are allowing insulation providers to utilize closed cell silicone sponge rubber materials to create a wrap for protecting hot process lines. Unlike traditional mineral wool, the sponge wrap system does not require a hard lagging to contain the insulation material. It is extremely flexible and may be cut to length with an ordinary pair of scissors, allowing for easy installation by in house maintenance staff.

In many cases the insulation wrap is equipped with a hook and loop closure to simplify its installation on existing lines, and to provide easy access for maintenance procedures or trouble-shooting activities.

The Technology

This new technology takes advantage of the very low thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance of closed cell silicone sponge rubber. Unlike traditional insulation products (consisting of fibrous materials and hard outer cladding) silicone sponge rubber wrap is easy to install without a professional contractor, making it a cost effective technology well suited for covering a variety of potential burn surfaces.

The closed cellular nature of the silicone sponge rubber does not allow for water or other liquids to wick through the insulation medium. This enables the material to function just as effectively outside, when exposed to rain and other elements, as inside the plant.

With a minimal capital investment a typical plant can be equipped with silicone sponge burn protection to significantly reduce the risk of workplace injuries. As an added bonus, protecting un-insulated pipes will lead to a reduction in energy costs.