Pyroban – more firms pulling tugs into hazardous area operation

Mar 08, 2017

Pyroban reports a “growing population” of electric tugs being used in potentially explosive atmospheres to support manual handling.

“Electric tugs can complete the ignition triangle in Zoned hazardous areas, unless they are suitably protected,” says Rob Vesty, Sales Manager, UK and Ireland, for safety company Pyroban ®. “We believe there is a growing population of tugs in hazardous area operations and businesses need to ensure their staff are safe while offering manual handling assistance.”

Electric tugs are typically used to push, pull and steer heavy loads that are on caster wheels or rails, in a production plant for example. MasterMover® is one tug manufacturer that has been working with Pyroban to ensure that any customer operating with a potentially explosive atmosphere receives an ATEX compliant model.

“A recent example is at an aerospace manufacturing business where long aircraft parts are manoeuvred in the potentially explosive paint spraying areas using our electric tugs,” says Hugh Freer, Sales Director of MasterMover, explaining that MasterMover electric tugs concentrate the load weight directly over the drive wheel making it easy for the operator to accurately manoeuvre loads.

“We have eliminated the risk of solvent vapour ignition from the motors and other components with Pyroban explosion protection,” Hugh says. “We are not only protecting staff, but also the supply chain from the risk of explosion and consequential loss.”

Pyroban can convert almost all models in the MasterMover range for Zone 2 operation using system6000E, a conversion process which takes 6-8 weeks in one of Pyroban’s factories in the UK or the Netherlands.

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