Poised under pressure: enhanced safety with Hotsy explosion proof pressure washers

Benefits of explosion proof pressure washers

Explosion proof pressure washers contain pressurized water and specialized detergents to clear surfaces of dirt and debris, particularly sludge, oil,
grease and salt buildup. The device is used frequently on land and on offshore oil rigs to keep oil platforms clean and safe. The detergents are
heavy-duty and at the same time non-toxic for the water and environment, making them ideal for this use.

Explosion proof pressure washers are also used frequently to clean surfaces and equipment in various other workplaces, such refineries, extraction
facilities, mines, chemical plants as well as heavy industrial, pharmaceutical and grain handling facilities.

In addition to keeping these work areas safe, explosion proof pressure washers are designed to be optimally safe themselves. They are, hence the name, made with explosion proof components, and they don’t produce any open flames, exhaust or fumes.

The devastating consequences of explosions on oil rigs

To appreciate the importance of explosion proof equipment on oil rigs, it’s worth reflecting on the destruction explosions can cause at these worksites.

Two events that stand out are the Piper Alpha catastrophe thirty years ago and, more recently, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010.

In 1988, the Piper Alpha was the world’s most successful rig. One day in July a small gas leak resulted in an explosion that engulfed the rig in flames. Of the 224 crew members on site, 167 of them perished. It was the deadliest offshore oil disaster of all time.

In 2010, catastrophe struck off the coast of Louisiana when an explosion and subsequent fire occurred on BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig. The rig burned for two days and then sunk, triggering the largest oil spill in history.

These events are ones of low probability and high consequence. Smaller incidents, however, occur every day. In fact, hundreds of fires and explosions occur on oil rigs in North America every year. Such accidents can usually be avoided. Sometimes it’s a question of better safety procedures; sometimes it’s a question of better equipment.