Staubli connectors incorporate safety features

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 9, 2009

Staubli has designed a range of connectors specifically for breathing air circuits.

One of the many areas of responsibility where companies have a duty to protect their workers is personal protective equipment and, most importantly, respiratory protection.

Low oxygen levels in confined spaces can quickly lead to unconsciousness and death; small quantities of gases such as hydrogen sulphide can be dangerous, larger doses can be fatal.

Selecting the right breathing air equipment and connecting it correctly is therefore vital.

Improving safety in the workplace is increasingly recognised as essential for the responsible employer.

The expanding body of legislation, coupled with the prospect of prosecution, encourages companies to fully assess the level of risk to employees and take all appropriate actions to minimise the chance of any accident or mishap.

This is particularly relevant when breathing systems and personal protective equipment are required to be used by personnel working in hazardous environments.

The breathing air systems employed need to be secure and eliminate any chance of air lines being wrongly connected or accidentally disconnected.

Staubli's range of connectors for breathing air circuits include several safety features such as mechanical keying and a distinct two action disconnection that reduce the chance of any mishap occurring and in most installations can eliminate some of the potential problems completely.

Serious accidents have resulted from breathing air lines being incorrectly connected or becoming disconnected in use.

Air lines have been disconnected in error; and lines have been reconnected to the wrong circuit.

Staubli's AQR connectors eliminate these problems by incorporating several safety features.

The connectors are specifically designed for breathing air applications, providing secure and automatic connection of the breathing air lines for masks or ventilated suits.

A plug profile acts as a mechanical key, preventing accidental connection with any other circuits.

Unintentional disconnection is totally eliminated, since to disconnect the coupling two distinct and separate actions are required; the connector plug has to be pushed into the socket and then by pressing on the release button the coupling will safely disconnect.

This conforms precisely to the safety requirements of the latest BS EN 139 Standard.

An additional safety feature is colour coding; all Staubli breathing air products are a distinctive blue colour and instantly recognisable.

There is also an option for the push-button release to be raised; this is very useful where the connector is being used in environments where gloves need to be worn.

All AQR connectors are encoded with their week and year of manufacture to facilitate monitoring and can be supplied with protective dust caps and safety padlocks for additional security if required.

In addition to the high-integrity, high-safety connectors, Staubli is able to provide all of the elements to build a complete breathing air system capable of supplying up to eight masks or four ventilated suits.

The range comprises portable filter units, equipped hoses, hose reels and manifold units, all coded blue and fully compatible with the AQR connectors.

Staubli can provide all the products needed to create and support safe breathing air circuits for use in industrial environments.

The products include many safety features, eliminating wrong connection and unintentional disconnection.

Applications for these precision engineered products can be found in the nuclear, chemical, military and waste processing sectors, minimising risks and improving the workplace environment.