Disaster recovery resources for industry

By Control Engineering Staff September 6, 2005

Oak Brook, ILControl Engineering staff and all of Reed Business Information offer sympathies to all affected by Hurricane Katrina. To help industrial recovery efforts (and prepare for possible future incidents), here are some resources.

National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published Guidelines for Handling Water Damaged Electrical Equipment , a brochure designed for use by suppliers, installers, inspectors, technicians, engineers, and other trained professional users of electrical products. It offers advices on replacement or reconditioning of equipment, including electrical distribution equipment, motor circuits, power equipment, transformers, wire, cable and flexible cords, wiring devices, GFCIs and surge protectors, lighting fixtures and ballasts, motors, electronic products including signaling, protection, communication systems, and industrial controls, and cable trays. Click here to access the free NEMA PDF.

Business owners can receive technical direction about operation and safety of electrical equipment and systems damaged by Hurricane Katrina by calling a toll-free hotline 1-888-778-2733 to speak with the Square D Customer Information Center (CIC). Experts are on call around the clock to recommend a course of action to safely restore electrical systems.

Safety division of ISA links to many resources .

Useful articles from Control Engineering include the following on safety, security, and risk assessment and avoidance. Also search at www.controleng.com .

“ Bioterrorism: Technology, Legislation, and Our Food Supply ” notes that regulatory compliance holds benefits for production processes.

“ Process Safety: What are the Odds? ” includes graphs and tables.

“ Safety systems become key trend in the world of distributed control ” shows how safety instrumentation systems move a process to a safe state when exceptional circumstances are encountered.

Machine Retrofits and Safety

” explains when machines should be fixed to augment efficiency and safety.

Tracking and tracing made simple

” looks at two laws governing origins of foods and food additives to combat risks to the public’s health and safety.

“ Control systems cyber security ” aims to help thwart terrorist threats, hackers, disgruntled employees, and vulnerable process control systems in highly volatile industries.

“ Open and secure controls ” require stringent attention to system design and plant-wide policies, procedures, and available technologies.

“ Get safe: Prepare for Security Intrusion ” advises how to avoid crisis in control-system security with proper preparation.

“ The new European explosion protection standards ” covers ATEX hazardous location requirements.

“ Time to Reinvest in Automation ” to move proactively to update systems, improve efficiency, save money, stay competitive, including “Six lifecycle phases in capital expenditure projects.”

“ Keeping the ‘Explosion Genie’ in the Bottle ” looks at how instrumentation for pressure, temperature, level, and flow equipment can play a key role in keeping processes safe.

“ Managing Risk: Don’t Fall Flat ” shows how risk management can be used for competitive advantage.

“ Master Disaster: How to Avoid Abnormal Situations ” and help the process control system detect and avoid abnormal situations and emergency shutdowns.

“ Use Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) to Comply with Performance-based Standards ” covers risk assessment with a protection layer diagram.

“ Redundancy in Control ” for PC-based control, includes a table of applicable terms.

Control Engineering staff