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Local safety products provided for international oil refineries

6th September 2013

By: Anine Kilian

Contributing Editor Online

  

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Several South African and international refineries have recently been supplied by gratings, stair treads, pressed floors and safety handrails manufacturer Vital Engineering.

The company supplies liquid natural gas (LNG) producer Qatargas, LNG producer Oman LNG, South African oil and petrochemicals manufacturer Sasol, State-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, energy corporation Chevron and the South African Petroleum Refineries through a variety of main contractors, Vital Engineer- ing MD Dodds Pringle tells Engineering News.

“These projects range from the onshore to offshore recovery of LNG and oil supply for local refining and exporting and, in the case of Sasol, for local consumption, with its unique oil-from-coal process,” he explains.

Pringle points out that, in most cases, Vital Engineering is required to meet the various global refinery specifications and client safety requirements, while maintaining occupational health and safety systems and acceptance criteria, as well as International Organisation for Standardisation and European standards, to become an approved supplier.

“We are required to ensure that we have a checking system that verifies the integrity of the clients’ drawings received, thereafter detailing and manufacturing a range of products, from fire-retardant fibreglass gratings to stair treads and handrails in specifically sensitive areas.

“We are also required to ensure internationally accepted galvanised gratings for our patented angle ball-type stanchions in less corrosive and less sensitive areas,” he says.

Pringle notes that the company is constantly inventing new safety features with crossover products, which improve safety considerably in walkways and floor areas in oil refineries.

“Added to this innovation is our patented, slip-resistant Double V solid flooring in mild or stainless grades. This product adds a new dimension to our range of products,” he says.

Pringle states that Vital Engineering’s products typically add value in terms of nonslip surfaces, high-quality standards, complete systems, easy accessibility, light transfer, lightness and quick installation. However, all these factors add up to improved worker safety, fewer injuries on duty and reduced maintenance cycles.

“These factors all ultimately offer clients real cost savings and safety, with resultant increases in productivity and follow-on capacities,” he states.

Pringle adds that the company has supplied most, if not all, its products to several refineries worldwide and is occasionally asked to develop specific products for special-purpose needs.

“We look forward to challenging ourselves to achieve positive fits for clients in these cases. Some new products under consideration are hex meshes and special aluminium expanded metals for the refinery industry,” he states.

Pringle adds that the company’s products are used widely in trench or drain covers, industrial walkways, architectural building curtains and sun screening.

“There is such a wide use for our products that we have recently started supplying water features, which can be intricate and unique, depending on the specification,” he notes.

Pringle points out that the most important feature of Vital Engineering’s products is its use of high-quality hot-rolled 350WA fully serrated material, which offers nonslip performance and good mechanicals.

He further explains that typically, slit or undressed bars from commercial-quality coil offer sharp edges, less coating adherence, shorter product life spans and, in some cases, indeterminate mechanicals. These are all factors for consideration when choosing a product where worker safety is of major importance.

“Our pretrial layouts also offer our clients peace of mind, as our tailored products have been subjected to a rigorous bar-coded quality system, leading to a finished product that is tailored to their drawings and ensures on-site fitting.

“This reduces the cost of standing time, installation delays and follow-on trade claims, allowing for the project to progress with safe access and a goal to achieve client return-on-investment on time,” notes Pringle.

Vital Engineering’s products differ from competitor products because each department takes ownership and is proud of what it produces, he states, adding that the com- pany does not regard any one product as being better than the rest, as they are all equally good.

“Our products have been developed during our 70 years of being in business, catering to a large variety of clients and industry requirements. We do not believe we have yet achieved the ultimate product, but we do strive to continuously improve, experiment, test and design new products. We have always believed that we can never allow ourselves to become complacent with mediocrity of a brand,” says Pringle.

He points out that to date the company’s products have achieved a great deal of success in the export arena in more than 30 countries.

“Projects supplied by Vital Engineering range from multitransport bridges, sewerage works and power stations in the Far East; to steel processing plants, water treatment plants and oil refineries in the Middle East; and mines, food and beverage and paper industries in the African, Caribbean and South American markets,” he concludes.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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