BFM® is Safer

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Bulk processing plants have many situations and equipment where staff health and safety can be compromised. 

Flexible connections between machinery can be a location for safety issues with potential dust leakage and the possibility of combustible dust explosions being a major concern.

The BFM® fitting flexible blue band connector system provides you with peace of mind that you're improving safety for your staff.

Staff Members practicing safe manufacturing with ear muffs

 

Safety Masterclass Webinar:

How BFM® fitting Helps Protect Your People, Product & Plant

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Our team discusses how the BFM® fitting system:

  • Reduces the risk to staff of breathing in dust and hand or finger injuries at transitions.
  • Helps reduce product contamination and the potential for expensive product recalls
  • Protects your plant from combustible dust/secondary explosion risks

 

 

Protecting Your Staff:

Why Bulk Processors Need to Prioritise Hand Safety at Product Transitions

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Bulk processing plants often operate 24/7 and are fast-paced, high-pressure environments where workers face numerous daily hazards. 

Equipment transitions often pose a significant risk to the hands of process workers as these transitions often use removable flexible connectors.  

Learn more about the risks and the ways you can mitigate them with BFM® fitting products.

 

Finger injury

Static Dissipative Materials Help Eliminate Electrostatic Build-Up

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Electrostatic dissipation illustration (1)

 

Generating electrostatic charge during powder processing is almost inevitable.  Wherever you have a high volume of surface contact, separation, and movement – as happens when powder flows through a pipe - static electricity is naturally created.

This generated charge is not generally hazardous unless it is allowed to accumulate, at which point it’s capable of creating a spark discharge that can ignite any flammable gasses or dust in the environment, with potentially disastrous results.

One vulnerable part of a bulk solids processing line is the flexible connections between processing equipment.  Product flows through these connections generating electrostatic build-up on the non-conductive material (the connector). That's why it is very important to consider what flexible connector you install - is it going to help dissipate electrostatic charge?

See how BFM® can reduce your electrostatic build-up.

Here's why BFM® is so much safer:

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The 100% seal of the BFM® fitting system, paired with static dissipative materials greatly reduces the risk of primary and secondary dust explosions.

BFM®'s unique design and choice of high-quality materials mean our connectors are much stronger and will last longer than traditional clamped connectors.

No tools required for installing standard BFM® connectors, plus less dust escaping into the plant combine to make a healthier and safer environment for staff.

Our wide range of products has been extensively and independently tested to conform to important global safety standards like 3A, FDA, EC and ATEX.

"There is no longer dust leaking into the plant, and this has significantly reduced the risk of explosion."

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- Hub Knoren
Maintenance Engineering Technician, AkzoNobel Elotes, Geleen

Health and safety are paramount for global chemicals manufacturer AkzoNobel at its Elotex plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, but the construction additives produced at this plant involve fine, abrasive powders which were proving hard to contain.  

The resultant dust leakage posed a real explosion risk.  After installing a BFM® fitting system on their sifter, AkzoNobel were so impressed with its performance they are gradually replacing all of their connectors with BFM®. 

Akzo Nobel plant after BFM® connectors were installed

 

More on BFM® fitting Safety:

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Tool Release new 400 x 300

To help keep hands safe near dangerous moving parts like rotary valves or rotating knives, our Tool Release (TR) option offers added security.

The cuffs on a TR connector are much firmer and virtually impossible to release manually.  A specially shaped tool is needed to release the connector by inserting it through a similarly shaped hole in the spigot.

Full TR Lock-Out System with padlock 400 x 300

If you are concerned about staff improvising other tools to access a TR hole in a spigot our new TR Lock-Out Safety System is the ideal solution.

A ‘TR Lock-Out’ Tube is welded to the outside of the spigot over the tool release hole in the top ridge of the BFM® fitting Spigot.

A padlock can then be inserted, blocking access to the TR hole.  The padlock key can then be held by authorized staff only.

BFM Seeflex Explosion Test

Dust leaking from flexible connections during operation provides the potential for secondary explosions in certain conditions and is a very real and serious health and safety risk.

BFM® fittings are safer because there is no dust leaking into the factory environment and our popular Seeflex 040E fittings have undergone extensive testing and have been proven to contain internal explosions in excess of 60kPa.

BFM® Pneumatic Monitoring System - white background

Wherever you have a flexible connection in a live production system, if the connector is removed at any time, there is always a potential risk that hands can be placed near dangerous moving parts, such as rotary valves and rotating knives.

Pneumatic Monitoring System's provide an added peace of mind as you can monitor when a BFM® fitting is removed in the areas where these are installed.

BFM connector group 500 x 240

Find out what's happening at BFM® fitting

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BFM® fitting is transforming processing plants globally. Keep updated on news, products, insights and new product developments.