Safety Newsletter
Volume 3 Welcome!!!
Welcome to another edition of the Granite Services International Safety Newsletter! Through the Newsletter we aim to keep everyone in our Manpower business up to date with the latest Health and Safety information, business developments and feedback from our teams around the globe. This is YOUR newsletter so if you have any queries, comments or suggestions regarding the newsletter please contact the Editors, ( Les Whyte and/or Stan Harvell) . You will find their contact details at the end of the news letter. We hope you find the newsletter informative and useful.
May 2007
This is a credit to all the staff who worked so hard during this transition period. At times the transition has been hard and challenging but the team have pulled together to achieve continuity of business and seamless change without adverse effects. We are all aware and look forward to the challenges ahead as we try to grow and develop the office but feel that since we have the team in the one building the challenges should not be insurmountable. I would like to thank Craig Findlay, Eddie Bygrave, Stella McBeth, Kirsty McCourt and Zofia Porazinska for their continued hard work and dedication during the move to the new office from our old premises in the GE Tool centre. They have also been instrumental in welcoming the new members of the team to the Granite Family.
Inside this Issue 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 Welcome Business Update Safe Use Hytorc Global fact – Middle East Regional Update Latest Success
Business Update: New Office
2.0
As you are all aware the new UK & Ireland office is based in Clydebank, just on the outskirts of Glasgow. We have moved from the Dublin and old Clydebank office into the one building and have formed a new team. This is a positive change as we continue to grow our business. We have managed to bring all this together since the beginning of the year and the last of our team came on board early in April. The business has carried on working during this major transition for us all with little or no effect on the continuity and service we provide.
Tolga Korol Region Leader Les Whyte Global EHS Manager Craig Findlay Service Manager Eddie Bygrave Service Manager Stella McBeth Field Service Coordinator Kirsty McCourt Field Service Coordinator Zofia Porazinska Field Service Coordinator Hannah Adam Field Service Coordinator Ilian Ivanov Finance Manager James MacDonald Accountant Hazel Smith Accounts Payable Angela McDougall Accounts Payable Robert Nicol Network Administrator Ann-Michelle Wilkie Human Resources Manager Laura Rodney Human Resources Assistant Laura Miller Human Resources Assistant Jacqui Major Receptionist Alan Carruth region Leader
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Volume 3 3.0 Safe Use of Hytorc:
So remember: Never use a long socket on a Hytorc! This will cause the same damage as you can see on the figure above. The square drives are made for absorbing a large amount of torque. However this does not mean that the square drive cannot be distorted or bent, it will break if you use the equipment in this manner. The red arrow in Figure 2 points to the place where the greatest amount of torsion will bend the square drive especially when from previous bad practice you are using long type of sockets.
May 2007
The Hytorc tool is a powerful part of the hydraulic bolting system we are using on a daily basis. This system is also very dangerous or it can be if not handled/used in the right way. Failure to use this tool in the right way means either that you are not following the instructions given in the manual or attempting to take short cuts by not using the right equipment for this tool. The result is always the same….we will have an accident or incident. During the last year we have had several accidents with the Hytorc: For example we have had a broken square drive….as shown in figure 1
Figure 3: broken hydraulic inlet
Figure 1: Broken Square drive
The cause for this broken square drive is the use of a wrong type of socket during removal of bolts on horizontal flange of a turbine.
Figure3 illustrates the broken hydraulic inlet of a Hytorc. As can be seen if this part breaks while the Hytorc tool is pressurized with 700 bars (~ 10.000 psi), the connecting hoses will fly around. And those flying hoses are under an exceptional amount of pressure. Even if they have a stop valve, if these hoses hit you they will cause serious injuries to you, in some cases a fatality. The work history of the tool is generally unknown(did it fall from a height, was it hit by a hammer or other things). Prior to use you must inspect the tool carefully all the time. If you are in doubt, if you have any serious concerns…. do not use the tool. Place in Quarantine box and tag it accordingly.
Figure 2: Hytorc with long socket
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If you decide to use the Hytorc tool, you will find the Hytorc tool in the tool container. 1. pneumatic connection 2. pressure reducing valve (pneumatic) 3. adjusting knob for hydraulic pressure 4. pump 5. hydraulic connectors 6. pressure gauge (hydraulic) The first step is to connect the pneumatic hose to the connector at the pump. Be sure to use a retainer as shown in Figure 6.
May 2007
3.1
Assembly of the Hytorc tool
The explanations in this section are all based on the Hytorc Avanti Tool but they are similar to all the other tools like MXT or XLT.
Figure 4: Typical Hytorc Avanti box
Usually you will find the typical Hytorc tool box filled with tools like Avanti Size 3, size 5, size 8 and size 10, all square drives, reaction arms, stop- start fixing pendant, alloy plates, operating manual and pressure- torque diagrams.
Figure 6: Air connection with retainer
1 6 2 5 4
Figure 5: air driven hydraulic pump
Adjustment of the air pressure can be achieved with the pressure reducing valve to 5 bar (80psi). Then stop the airflow by closing the ball valve.
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In figure 5 you can see the air driven hydraulic pump, supplied with the Hytorc tools in your tool container. You can identify the most important parts of the pump as follows:
Figure 7: Hydraulic hose connection
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The Hytorc tool is operated via 2 high pressure hydraulic hoses. One line feeds from the pump to the tool, the second one feeds back to the reservoir at the pump. You always have to connect both hoses. To avoid any damages or male function one hose has 2 male adaptors and the other hose has 2 female adaptors. So it is impossible to change the hoses to operate against each other. On the pump you will find a block with 2 rows of connectors (one row with male adaptors and one row with female adaptors).
May 2007
As with all good practices prior to use you should check, if the connectors or couplings are clean also if the sealings are not damaged. Even the hose itself must be checked. In GSII we only use hoses with a burst pressure of 2.800 bars (about 40.610 psi). That means the bursting pressure is 4 times higher than operating pressure. But nevertheless you should ensure that the hoses are not damaged. If there is a fine leakage of hydraulic oil, this spray can cause serious injuries which can lead to amputations with a working pressure of 300 bars (4.350 psi) only. But hydraulic pressure is not the only risk we have when we are using Hytorc tools. Be sure that the hoses do not provide the additional risk of slips trips and falls. Before you can connect the hoses to the hytorc tool, you have to assembly the hytorc tool in the right way.
Drawing 1: Male and female hose adaptors
When operating this equipment it is essential that you use both types of adaptors for each tool. As you can see in figure 7, it is possible to connect up to 4 different tools to one pump. This feature is used for simultaneously operating tools on flanges where it is necessary to keep flanges as flat as possible. But you can also use only one tool with this pump.
Figure 8: Hytorc tool with fixing knob
Drawing 2: Connectors on the tool
As you can see, it is impossible to connect hoses in a wrong way because on each side you always have male and female connectors and the relating couplings.
The first step is to decide, which model of hytroc tool you will have to use. To make this decision you have to look into the spread sheets provided with the tool container. You always have to choose a suitable hytorc tool for the application/task. In most cases you have the choice between 2 or 3 different sizes. It does not make any sense to select the biggest hytorc tool if you do not need it. You have to consider the place where it is used and you have to consider the space you have to handle the tool.
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Sometimes it is necessary to select the smallest hytroc tool you have and for some tasks/jobs the medium or heavy duty hytorc tool is the suitable tool for more robust work. You must also consider the selection of the appropriate square drive for the tool. Because size of square drives are fixed you therefore cannot assemble a wrong square drive to the tool. Take the hytorc tool and turn it that way that you can read the instructions, in particular the direction of rotation. If you want to loosen bolts you have to read LOOSEN and if you want to tighten bolts you must be able to read TIGHTEN. Take the square drive and insert it from below in that way that the square points down. Be sure that the gear drive of the square fits to the tool. Then insert the fixing collar. You have to hear a “click”. Than the square drive is secured and fixed into the tool and you can continue with assembling the tool by installing the reaction arm.
May 2007
Figure 10: Reaction arm installed
Never install the reaction arm in that way that the bended end point upwards. Now you can mount the needed socket and fix it with the cotter/collar. Do not forget the cotter/collar. Otherwise socket and reaction arm can become unattached and fall down. The cotter can be found under the rubber ring.
If you have assembled everything in the right way, your Hytorc tool is now ready for use.
Figure 9: Operation direction Figure 11: Fixed socket
Next step is installation of the reaction arm. You can only install the proper reaction arm to the square drive. Install the reaction arm in that way, that the bended end of the reaction arm points downwards. In some cases you will need to use the aluminum plates as a buffer to protect where the reaction arm is butting against.
Safety Note When operating the Avanti 10 ensure that it is ONLY USED with shallow socket & supplied reaction arm and from a safe distance, use remote pendant.
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3.2 Recent Hytorc Safety Solution 4.0
May 2007
Interesting Global Fact-Middle East
Within 20 days of a finger pinch point safety incident using a hydraulic bolt tensioner (Hytorc) for Wind applications the following corrective actions occurred: 1- Mike Russ, QCI Wind Services Manager met with tooling vendor (Hytorc). 2- Vendor supplies new handles for better hand positioning. 3- Vendor designs and builds new reaction arm - major improvement. 4- Reaction arm deployed to field for testing. 5- Today - Feedback received from field: "works great... great design" Safer... faster... smarter. All of this happened at no charge from the vendor, and within 21 days of the incident. This is exactly the kind of leadership, sense of urgency, response, and execution I am looking for in our organization. And a great example of the relationships we should build with our vendors. Outstanding job by Mike Russ, our US Manpower Wind Team leader. Mike was assisted by Oliver (JJ) Hill QCI, and supported very well by Ron Foley at Hytorc. There are a lot more opportunities out there to improve safety. Please all the GSII Management Team want to hear about them!
As you are aware GSII operate a zero tolerance for such issues as outlined above. In some countries random drugs and alcohol tests are undertaken.
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5.0 Recent Regional Success LAPS A Job Well Done- Colburn, Chile feedback from GE Lekeisha May. It is with great pleasure that I say...YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE BEST AUDIT SCORE IN THE REGION THIS YEAR! You received an audit score of 98% (out of a possible 100%)!!! WOOOOO HOOOO!! I appreciate your commitment to our EHS programs and for your leadership! As you know, when you started the audit, you had a score of 76%.....in one week you brought it up to 98%. This only happens when you have true Safety Leadership! Remember, true leadership is not what you say....but what you do! There were some really wonderful things I was able to see during this audit. • Scaffolding: Thank you so very much for making sure we had proper scaffolding on the jobsite! Not only was the scaffolding in keeping with the GE/GSII expectations, but the inspection tags were also perfect! GSII has done an outstanding job making sure we have a solid scaffolding program in place! Nice job by all!! Crane Certification: I can not tell you how refreshing it was to learn that you were "Standing Down" on the crane usage until we had the proper documentation in place. I really appreciate your leadership here! I commend Luis Fuzy for raising the question! LOTO: I have been on several jobsites and sent several e-mails about the requirement to use the LOTO Checklist. It was great to actually be on the site and see the checklist being used. What I loved most about observing the LOTO was the team effort....we had Jean Eric, Marcio, Israel, Carlos Donso, and Roberto Pacheco walking down the system •
May 2007
with the customer! OUTSTANDING! It was great to see you questioning the customer and testing the equipment to make sure it was actually LOTO'd. I really appreciate Carlos Jones working with us to get locks for our team to apply. It was a great example of us being "One GE." Tooling: The tooling looked very good. It was organized, neat, and I did not see one modified tool...after multiple visits to the tool container. Nice job!
I know that to receive a score like this, it takes a team effort. Congratulations to each member of the entire GE/GSII Team for a job well done!
Carlos Jones, Jean Eric, Israel, Edwin, Marcio, Gonzalo, Luis, Manuel, Mauricio, Carlos Donoso, y Roberto Pacheco I also want to thank the EHS Team....Mariana Kajen, Gonzalo Aracibia, y Cesar Retamales
Thanks for the contributions for this newsletter go to:Alan Carruth- UK Office article Thomas Goeble- Hytorc article Tony Loyden- Drugs in Middle East Michael Wood & Team – Regional update
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We hope you have enjoyed reading this edition. If you would like to see an article on a particular subject or wish to share a best practice please let us know. So until next edition…be safe!
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Volume 3
Your Newsletter Team: Les Whyte Email: leslie.whyte@gsinc.com Stan Harvell Email: harvel@qcinc.com
May 2007
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