Travel safely with the best radio equipment
Introduction
In the course of your research for two-way radios, you may have come across the phrase intrinsically safe, which refers to a radio that is designed to be used in an unsafe environment. If you’re new to the world of walkie-talkies, you’re likely to have a few questions about how they work. What is an intrinsically safe radio, and how does it work? As a result of the fast development and expansion of many sectors, governments, crews, employees, and ship owners have grown more concerned about safety than ever before. This is particularly true in boats, workplaces, and construction sites where there is a danger of fire or explosion associated with the local environment or equipment and other locations.
Follow the rules and get an intrinsically safe radio
According to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, on-board ships are obliged to have a minimum of two two-way portable and intrinsically safe radios for essential firefighter communications in 2016, according to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulation. The term intrinsic refers to something’s fundamental or true character or worth instead of its appearance or value. In electronics, the term “electrical” refers to the fact that an electronic device is electrical in nature; it is an object that works on electricity. The fact that every electronic equipment, by its very nature, contains an electrical current or charge means that the potential of an electrical spark or heat emission from the gadget is always there or a possibility.
When it comes to communication in the oil and gas industry, Intrinsically Safe (IS) radios are essential tools available. To use electronic equipment in a Hazardous Environment, exceptional ratings must be obtained where explosions can occur.
Apart from their usage in firefighting, inherently safe radios are also widely used for secure communications and operations in potentially hazardous or explosive situations, such as on oil and gas platforms or in the engine room. To demonstrate that a ship is seaworthy and capable of sailing securely without endangering the vessel, the surrounding environment, or people on board, compliance with the new SOLAS rules is a must in potentially hazardous or explosive situations, such as oil rigs.
Two-way radio communication may be essential, if not critical, to operations in such settings. However, conventional two-way radios should not be utilised in such situations since they might make an already perilous situation much more deadly by adding to it. Intrinsically Safe radios must be used in these types of circumstances.
Conclusion
Intrinsically Safe radios must be built and housed to minimise or completely exclude the risk of producing even the slightest spark while in operation. They must also keep the quantity of heat generated by the radio to a minimum.
