Breath Alcohol Testing integrated with Access Control System

Problems at work associated with alcohol consumption are becoming increasingly relevant
and, consequently, more attention is being directed to the detection of breath alcohol and
the restriction of access to the workplace of those with detectable alcohol levels.
The Alcolizer Wall Mounted Testers are made in Australia to Australian Standard AS 3547
and have been available for a number of years in South Africa from RunRite Electronics in
KZN.

The installation of an Alcolizer offers staff a self-test system enabling them to test
themselves before entry to the plant should they feel they are at risk. A positive voluntary
test would not normally attract punitive measures from the employer, other than the
possible deduction of the associated waiting time until the worker is able to give a ‘zero’
test. If, however, a worker is caught inside the plant with a positive reading, having not
availed himself of the entry test, then clearly he would be in deep trouble.
The underlying principle in this system is that the workforce becomes self-regulatory
because the staff understand the safety risks associated with the effects of alcohol, as
well as the unpleasantness of possible anti-social behaviour that often goes hand in hand
with alcohol consumption.

The latest data-logging models of the Alcolizer also incorporate relays which can be
preset to activate at various alcohol levels and can be used in conjunction with access
control systems. RunRite Electronics are currently exploring the possibilities of integrating
the Alcolizer with a biometric terminal for access control and time management. This
system, if used with random number generation, will give a time history of test results and
deny access to those tested who exceed the preset alcohol limits.

While the basic principle of self testing still applies, the enhanced system will enable
management to institute either full automatic alcohol related access control or automatic
random testing if and when such controls are considered necessary.
The Alcolizer, with it’s bright and easy to read scrolling message, has proved popular in
the mining industry where a number of units have been operating well for some years
under quite harsh environmental conditions.

The Alcolizer uses an internal cylinder of certified gas to calibrate itself daily. This gas
supply is sufficient for at lease 12 months of operation and gives ongoing credibility to the
test results. RunRite technicians will service and re-fill the machine annually to insure
accuracy and the correct operational standards are met.

The Alcolizer is easy to use and the results are displayed in % BAC (Blood Alcohol
Concentrate) to three decimal places.

SIMPLE MEASUREMENT OF THE WBGT INDEX

The physiological effects of heat stress have been researched extensively by the South African mining industry where deep mining necessitates heavy physical work being undertaken in hot and humid conditions.

Heat stress is caused by a combination of high dry bulb temperature, radiant heat and high humidity. The latter limits the body’s ability to cool itself and is indicated by the wet bulb temperature. In extreme cases of heat stress the body generates heat at a greater rate than the heat can be dissipated and symptoms of heat stroke follow.

The effect of wet bulb temperature is highly significant and the experience of the mining industry shows that not only does the accident frequency increase with the increase of wet bulb temperature above 27°C, but also that heat stroke fatalities can be expected at wet bulbs above 28°C and dramatically at wet bulbs higher than 34°C.

According to Rob Goldblatt of Runrite Electronics, the manufacturers of Tempstress Heat Stress Monitor, although such hostile conditions do not commonly occur in general industry above ground, the effects of heat stress should, nevertheless, be taken into account. Worker health and comfort can be adversely affected by high WBGT and productivity can fall.

The OHS Act determines that the environment should be assessed in terms of the WBGT index, which is a function of wet bulb, globe and dry bulb temperature. The Tempstress was designed in South Africa and calculates this index automatically. With over 600 units sold locally, it remains the most cost effective solution to heat stress measurement.

The Tempstress kit is supplied in a sturdy foam lined executive case and comprises all the components necessary to make a WBGT measurement. Included in the kit are two check-plugs which are used to verify calibration before use. Operation is straightforward and with the instrument mounted on the tripod either wet bulb temperature, WBGT, or globe temperature can be displayed at the touch of a switch.

The Tempstress has a digital display and three audible modes, ‘correct function bleep’, ‘battery low alarm’ and ‘WBGT high alarm’. The WBGT high alarm is normally factory set at 30°C but can be changed to suit customer requirements. The OHS Act stipulates that where the time-weighted average WGBT index exceeds 30 when determined over a period of one hour in the environment in which an employee works, appropriate action must be taken by the employer in accordance with the steps outlined in the Act.

Seeing The Light

VISIBLE LIGHT, LYING BETWEEN INFRA-RED AND ULTRA-VIOLET, CONSTITUTES ONLY A VERY SMALL PART OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM. THE PERCEPTION OF COLOUR IS A FUNCTION OF WAVELENGTH AND THE HUMAN EYE IS NOT EQUALLY SENSITIVE TO ALL WAVELENGTHS. LUMINOUS FLUX REPRESENTS THE VISUALLY EFFECTIVE VALUE OF THE LIGHT. A TERM ORIGINATING IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY AND BASED ON THE OUTPUT OF A STANDARD CANDLE IS THE CANDELA. THE LUMINOUS FLUX FROM A LIGHT SOURCE WITH AN INTENSITY OF ONE CANDELA, WHEN PASSING THROUGH ONE SQUARE METRE AT A DISTANCE OF ONE METRE, IS CALLED A LUMEN. ONE LUMEN DISTRIBUTED OVER AN AREA OF ONE SQUARE METER GIVES AN ILLUMINANCE OF ONE LUX.

THE HUMAN EYE IS VERY ADAPTABLE. IN MOONLIGHT AT 0,5 LUX, OR UNDER A STREET LAMP AT 5,0 LUX, A MAN MIGHT BE ABLE TO READ A LETTER AND YET STILL BE ABLE TO READ IT AT 50 000 LUX ON A SUNNY DAY. HOWEVER, IF HE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT LETTER IMMEDIATELY FROM SUNLIGHT TO MOONLIGHT, HIS ABILITY TO READ THE LETTER WOULD BE IMPAIRED UNTIL HIS EYES HAD ACCLIMATIZED. THIS SITUATION CAN BE CREATED BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING AND INDICATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF LIGHTING FOR SAFETY WHEN PERSONS MIGRATE FROM ONE WORK AREA TO ANOTHER.

FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL POINT OF VIEW, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE AESTHETIC AND ECONOMIC ATTRACTIONS OF DRAMATIC LOCAL LIGHTING, WITH IT’S INHERENT RISK OF GLARE, AND THE SAFER, BUT PERHAPS UNINSPIRING, UNIFORM LIGHT LEVELS.

A HAZARD FOR THOSE WORKING WITH ROTATING MACHINERY IS THE RISK THAT A STROBOSCOPIC EFFECT FROM AN UNSTABLE LIGHT SOURCE MIGHT CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC MISJUDGEMENT BY THE OPERATOR.

THE MOS ACT, NOW INCORPORATED IN THE OHS ACT, SPECIFIES THE MINIMUM LUX LEVELS FOR MOST WORKING ENVIRONMENTS BUT THESE VALUES ARE THE MINIMUM LEVELS FOR SAFE WORKING AND THE LEVELS FOR OPTIMUM PRODUCTIVITY MAY BE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER.

WITH THE EASY TO READ TM-202 DIGITAL LUX METER, RUNRITE, THE KWA-ZULU NATAL BASED SUPPLIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TEST INSTRUMENTS OFFER A COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR PRELIMINARY ILLUMINATION SURVEYS.

Hearing Conservation

Go check out this article -
Hearing Conservation - Back to Basics

From Runrite Electronics cc

It really gives you a simple overview of the need for noise level control. The effects on the human ear and a guide to instituting a policy on hearing conservation in the work place.

The new PULSAR Quantifier range has a Sound Level Meter that will meet your noise assessment needs.

Get an idea of what the new range is capable of here

Please contact us for more infomation and quotes on the range of Sound Level meters available from PULSAR

TEMPSTRESS Human Heat Stress Monitor

TEMPSTRESS

We have recently acquired the rights to manufacture, distribute, service and calibrate the sort after TEMPSTRESS.

The TEMPSTRESS is used to calculate the WBGT - Wet Bulb Globe Bulb Temperature - reading which is the occupational safety standard for human heat stress managment. In the industrial work setting the WBGT reading can be used to evaluate the temprature at any given time this is then used to asses the working patterns of staff. This has a knock on effect of reducing stress at work and increasing workers productivity levels.

For more infomation please contact us.