AIKEN, S.C. - Savannah River Site (SRS) employees work safer and smarter thanks to innovative technology such as heart rate monitors, cooling vests, and automatic welding systems.
“Using tools, machines, and technology is key to keeping all employees safe," said Jim Folk, DOE-Savannah River Assistant Manager for Waste Disposition.
Heart Rate Monitors
Imagine being able to monitor your heart rate so you know when to take a timeout from work. Savannah River Remediation (SRR), the site’s liquid waste contractor, made that a reality by applying heat stress technology to physiological monitoring devices.
An employee’s heart rate is tracked using Bluetooth and an iPad. If the heart rate exceeds a certain level for a period of time, the employee stops working to cool off, in what’s known as heat-stress intervention. The employee can resume working when the heart rate returns to normal.
A continued elevated rate indicates the beginning of heat strain, and heat-related illnesses or injuries could follow, said SRR Safety, Health, and Environmental Director Patricia Allen.
“These heart rate monitors are an invaluable tool to keeping our workers safe during the scorching summer days," Allen said. “And they have proven to be truly effective. There were more than 225 monitored activities between spring and mid-summer, and 28 of those required an intervention or resting to reduce the heart rate."
There have been no heat-stress cases at SRR this year.
Cooling Vests
Working in a hot environment, sometimes with an impermeable chemical resistant suit, face shield, and goggles, is not easy, SRR President and Project Manager Tom Foster said.
“The safety of our employees is the number one value at Savannah River Remediation," Foster said. “Anything we can do to make their jobs safer and easier is at the top of our list."
The cooling apparatus includes a breathing air compressor, a belt-mounted climate control tube, and lightweight vest. The critical component is the climate control vortex tube that can cool (or heat) incoming air by 30 degrees.
Automatic Welding System
An automatic welding system improves safety by reducing the time workers spend welding piping and tubing. It’s also cost-effective, lightweight, and portable.
The weld continuously rotates 360 degrees, allowing for reliable gas tungsten arc welds, a technique in which metals weld together through heat from an electric arc.
SRR welding engineers are developing methods to use this system to weld heavy wall piping to further reduce personnel exposure and produce significant cost savings.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
