| Okay kids, take a tin of custard powder, open the lid | | | | Even when companies do take pains to ensure they |
| and place it inside a larger tin with a sealable lid. Make | | | | meet the desired requirements often certain items can |
| a hole in the tin can and place a tube through until it | | | | get missed, the most common being the computer |
| touches the custard inside the tin. Now place a candle | | | | equipment. |
| inside the tin, quickly seal the lid then blow through the | | | | Obviously, computers, monitors and printers are |
| tube: kaboom, the lid should have flown off as the | | | | electrical and can spark (particularly in dusty |
| custard ignited. | | | | environments where the dust itself can short circuit |
| Science teachers love this kind of experiment; it keeps | | | | boards), yet many companies neglect to ensure their |
| kids engaged whilst demonstrating some important | | | | IT is approved to use in that area. The most common |
| principles of science. Yet, if a group of kids can make | | | | reason for this neglect is put down to cost. |
| a tin of custard explode, just think of the potential | | | | Obviously replacing all IT systems with intrinsically safe |
| explosive power in factories that use tons of it. Not | | | | and air-purged machines can be extremely expensive, |
| just custard either, most powdered foodstuffs, such as | | | | especially if you are in the habit of upgrading your IT |
| sugar, spices, flour and even coffee can explode. | | | | on a regular basis. |
| Of course there are laws implemented to ensure that | | | | However, there are lower priced alternatives. One |
| risk of explosions are kept to a minimum but how | | | | way is to house all IT equipment into special industrial |
| many companies actually follow them? In Britain the | | | | computer enclosures. These are widely available and |
| EU's ATEX directive was introduced in 2003 to ensure | | | | can be manufactured in all materials including |
| companies were aware of the risks attached with | | | | food-grade stainless steel. They have the advantage |
| explosive materials. | | | | of not only preventing any fault in a computer or |
| Yet, according to industry analysts, many food | | | | monitor from setting light to your factory but they also |
| producers, particularly smaller companies, are wither | | | | afford protection from knocks, bangs and explosions. |
| completely unaware of the risks or are ignoring them. | | | | They also have the advantage over specialist |
| "If the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) decided to | | | | machines by the fact that enclosures merely house |
| crackdown I think they will find a lot of non-compliance," | | | | existing equipment which can be replaced and repaired |
| said David Mairs, from leading project management | | | | whilst still retaining your original industrial pc enclosure. |
| company Projen. | | | | |