Since its founding over 74 years ago, Vallen Safety Services has been committed to one mission: "Protecting People and Assets."
Vallen is a pioneer in integrated safety solutions and the originator of on-site safety services. With Vallen's history and position as a North American leader in safety services, it is no surprise that innovation continues to be at its core.
Vallen's most recent innovation has been focused on improving safety in confined spaces. On average, two workers die per week from occupational injuries involving a confined space. Traditional management of confined space entries and work activity has remained relatively unchanged for three decades. In April 1993, OSHA enacted the final rule on permitted confined spaces. The attendant's responsibilities, as defined in 1910.146(b), have been the standard that the industry has followed. As technology has developed, the time is right to adopt some innovations to improve safety performance in permitted confined spaces.
As a national distributor of safety products and breathing air/safety rental equipment, Vallen's solutions for safe work practices have been a mainstay in the industry. Since 1946, Vallen has worked closely with the manufacturers of safety equipment in developing new technology and products to drive safety improvements in the petrochemical and refinery industries. These improvements have reduced injuries, improved safety, and had an impact in the reduction of lost-time accidents in the industrial workplace.
As Vallen focused on the challenges of worker safety in confined spaces, the company recognized that there were opportunities to improve the current accepted practices. The traditional method of a 1:1 attendant to confined space entry has always proven to be challenging. The attendant position tends to be short-term and, thus, labor intensive to train and expensive to manage. In addition, the challenges of supplying qualified individuals have become increasingly difficult based on current availability of manpower. For customers that have embraced the technology of remote confined space monitoring, there are some shortcomings in the first-generation versions in the marketplace. Labor-intensive setup times, connectivity issues and older technology have proven to provide a lack of confidence in such a critical life safety work practice; Vallen absolutely believed there was a better way. Understanding the needs of the industry, Vallen collaborated with leaders in technology and safety to develop Vallen Vision, the next generation in remote electronic confined space monitoring technology.
Let the innovation and equipment of Vallen Vision improve the safety of your next project.
Vallen Vision is a U.S. patent-approved remote electronic confined space monitoring system that can transform your turnaround. With real-time audio-visual monitoring and communication, permitting access and data storage all within one system, Vallen Vision reduces risk and maximizes safety while increasing efficiency and compliance. Specifically designed to monitor permit-required entry duties and spaces, Vallen Vision offers automatic realtime capture of visual, gas detection and permitted access data to ensure the condition of the air quality is managed through continuous atmospheric monitoring.
Vallen performed extensive market research and heard the concerns of the petrochemical industry prior to the development of Vallen Vision. The issues that drove lack of confidence in existing systems (such as lack of continuous connectivity, bulky wire configurations in the manway, labor intensive to set up, not practical for shorter-duration jobs, concerns with the potential of interrupted power and lack of triangular communication) all had to be addressed.
Existing remote electronic confined space system technology was plagued with signal interruptions between the confined space and the command center. From a safety standpoint, this had the potential to not provide the continuous real-time monitoring of those working in the confined space. Vallen Vision utilizes multiple antenna configurations for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint (MESH) wireless communication technologies for reliability and redundancy. This ensures connectivity when the primary point of connection is inadvertently disrupted by mobile equipment.
Egress through the manway with existing systems on the market was an issue that Vallen continuously heard. The older technology caused the need to have multiple wire configurations to transmit a signal and audio/video communication from inside the confined space to outside. With a typical manway as small as 24 inches in diameter, every available inch is extremely important to ensure safe entry of the entrant as well as the equipment. In addition, older technology requires extensive labor to install, which makes it impractical for shorter duration jobs and, thus, compromises the entire reason you are using this technology: increased visibility and communication for safety.
Vallen Vision's patented "ONECABLE" design uses power-over-ethernet (POE) to deliver power and communications. This patented "ONE-CABLE" design has set the standard for entry egress spacing and rapid deployment. With "ONECABLE" entering the confined space through the manway, it provides for internal POE power of two-way communication via intercom, visual confirmation of workers via multiple night-vision HD cameras, and the ability to notify and evacuate workers in the case of an emergency. This patented "ONE-CABLE" design has revolutionized the connectivity of inside and outside the confined space.
Another concern voiced by customers was the length of time it took to deploy a solution. Safety departments wanted the additional safety benefits of increased audio and visual communication with the entrant over the traditional hole watch/fire watch (HWFW) method. But the required setup time and extensive cabling made it impractical for jobs lasting less than one shift. Vallen took this in consideration when developing a modular approach to configuration. Each confined space kit is flexible, making it rapidly deployable for shorter duration jobs. This modular configuration drives deployment in hours instead of days. This satisfied the safety department's need for increased safety oversight and assured maintenance that jobs would stay on schedule as planned.
Vallen Vision's confined space kits consist of wireless antenna, four cameras (two outside and two inside), intercom/badging units outside the confined space, and an intercom and evacuation light/siren inside the confined space. Another innovation from Vallen is the inclusion of backup battery power at each confined space entry in the event of power loss at the site. This unique approach ensures visibility and communication between the command center operator and entrant is never compromised.
One of the keys to any great project is communication. The communication between an attendant on the outside of the confined space, the entrant, and the command center operator is crucial. Vallen Vision's triangular communication capabilities set the new standard. The entrant can talk to the command center operator or the outside attendant. The outside attendant can talk to the entrant or the command center.
The limitations of communication for all parties involved are no longer a problem. As worker safety continues to be a priority in the industry, Vallen Vision is the next evolution in the challenge to work safely in confined spaces. With the ability to provide the time inside of confined spaces by individual, customer or craft; PPE and/or entry violations; gas detection alarms/logs; and confined space entry logs, Vallen manages all aspects of safe work practices.
You don't need 20/20 vision to see the advantages Vallen Vision brings to remote electronic confined space monitoring.
For more information, to schedule a demonstration or to meet with a Vallen Safety Services representative to discuss how Vallen can assist you in all of your safety service needs, visit www.vallen.com or call (713) 456-1000.
