| The Problem | | | | Recent advancements in thermal protection |
| Heat burns and scalds lead the way in workplace | | | | technologies are allowing insulation providers to utilize |
| injuries that result in lost time from work, costing a | | | | closed cell silicone sponge rubber materials to create a |
| median of 5 lost days per incident (National Institute for | | | | wrap for protecting hot process lines. Unlike traditional |
| Occupational Safety and Health, Publication No. 2004 | | | | mineral wool, the sponge wrap system does not |
| -146). The economic impact to employers and | | | | require a hard lagging to contain the insulation material. |
| employees alike can be overwhelming. A recent study | | | | It is extremely flexible and may be cut to length with |
| conducted in Oregon State suggested the average | | | | an ordinary pair of scissors, allowing for easy |
| cost in that state for burn injuries is US$5,400 per | | | | installation by in house maintenance staff. |
| incident! | | | | In many cases the insulation wrap is equipped with a |
| A major burn hazard is found in industrial plants that | | | | hook and loop closure to simplify its installation on |
| utilize steam process lines. In many typical applications | | | | existing lines, and to provide easy access for |
| hot steam lines are initially covered with a permanent | | | | maintenance procedures or trouble-shooting activities. |
| fixture of hard lagging and mineral wool insulation. As | | | | The Technology |
| plant processes evolve or if system problems occur, | | | | This new technology takes advantage of the very low |
| sections of insulation are removed for troubleshooting, | | | | thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance |
| pipe replacement or line reconfiguration. The insulation | | | | of closed cell silicone sponge rubber. Unlike traditional |
| around these sections is usually irreparably damaged in | | | | insulation products (consisting of fibrous materials and |
| the process. Since replacing these small sections can | | | | hard outer cladding) silicone sponge rubber wrap is |
| be cost prohibitive, it is often not replaced thereby | | | | easy to install without a professional contractor, making |
| creating a potential burn hazard. | | | | it a cost effective technology well suited for covering |
| A second major burn hazard occurs at high | | | | a variety of potential burn surfaces. |
| temperature flexible hoses that are connected to | | | | The closed cellular nature of the silicone sponge rubber |
| moving machinery or equipment. Traditional hard | | | | does not allow for water or other liquids to wick |
| lagging insulating technologies, being inflexible, are not | | | | through the insulation medium. This enables the material |
| capable of servicing these hoses. The result is that the | | | | to function just as effectively outside, when exposed |
| hoses are left un-insulated, creating a potential burn | | | | to rain and other elements, as inside the plant. |
| hazard for personnel who service or operate adjacent | | | | With a minimal capital investment a typical plant can be |
| equipment. | | | | equipped with silicone sponge burn protection to |
| These scenarios represent just two of literally | | | | significantly reduce the risk of workplace injuries. As an |
| thousands of common situations where the potential | | | | added bonus, protecting un-insulated pipes will lead to a |
| for a serious workplace burn injury exists. | | | | reduction in energy costs. |
| The Solution | | | | |