The Sam Carbis Solutions Group Safety Blog

There are a great many factors that go into planning a fall protection solution for your truck or rail loading spot.  The time spent planning cuts down on costly delays and expensive rework later. Before getting into the weeds of your project, here are a few top level issues to consider: Weather – Will the vehicle have to be accessed in all kinds of weather? High wind, snow, ice, rain, etc. can make moving products more hazardous and can potentially damage product.  Do you need a canopy structure to protect your operators and products? Time of Day – Will the site be supervised late at night? This is especially important with harnesses and lanyards as the act of hanging from a harness can cause irreparable harm or death. Is there adequate lighting for night work? Is there adequate shade for work on bright days? Frequency of Use – High frequency of use could dictate different types of equipment. A spot used infrequently could, potentially, even use a portable system....

Renewable Energy is Powering the Future   Renewable energy prices are rapidly declining and, in many instances, are now cheaper than oil, gas or coal. Private investment has surged into companies creating green technologies. These new technologies harnessing the infinite power of sunlight, wind, water and earth heat can produce considerable savings in terms of energy use and emissions, increased independence from fossil fuels and more jobs. Solar Solar energy uses sunlight and heat from the Sun as fuel for electricity production using various technologies. Two such approaches include photovoltaic (PV) devices which convert direct sunlight directly into electricity, and concentrated solar power (CSP) plants which focus sunlight onto central towers with mirrors to generate steam for turbines. Both industries have experienced rapid expansion, with costs dropping rapidly to become cost competitive in many markets. Scale economies and innovation are leading them toward becomin...

In 2014, 4,679 workers in the United States were killed on the job . To avoid potential workplace accidents and liability, your company should develop an industrial safety plan to help prevent injuries and fatalities. When you make the safety of your workforce a priority, it’s important for your safety equipment to function as a cohesive system. Loading arms and access equipment purchased from different vendors may not always integrate for adequate fall prevention. Sam Carbis Solutions Group is the only safety equipment provider in North America that designs and sources both access equipment and loading arms. These two moving pieces of equipment are engineered to work together without interference. Purchase An Integrated Solution From One Provider When you choose a single manufacturer for your safety solution needs, you are able to reach out to one contact when you experience issues with your equipment. Since your provider designs, manufactures and integrates equipment in-house, c...

As the innovator of unique safety solutions across a host of industries, Sam Carbis Solutions Group is well versed in tackling complex safety challenges. A construction company was doing routine maintenance work on railroad trestles and found that a steep embankment was creating a safety hazard for workers. They came to Sam Carbis Solutions Group seeking a solution that would allow workers to safely move up or down the embankment as they performed their work. To further complicate the challenge, the embankment and angle of the slope varied in height. In addition, the company needed to be able to move heavy equipment from one location to another along the embankment, requiring a flexible solution. The team assessed the situation and came up with a custom solution, an Embankment Ladder. The ladder’s treads can be articulated to a flat position, providing a safer path up and down the embankment. The self-leveling stair is highly versatile and can be used on very steep or very shallo...

Static electricity — it sounds pretty innocuous but imagine what could happen when a seemingly insignificant spark comes into contact with an explosive liquid. A split second is all it takes for a tiny spark to create a full-blown disaster. Static electricity, also referred to as “The Invisible Enemy”, cannot be seen but is everywhere. There’s really no way to completely eradicate it. That’s why if your company deals with flammable liquids it is imperative that you protect yourself and your workers from stray sparks by using proper bonding and grounding. When handling flammable liquids, it’s easy to generate static electricity with even simple activities such as pumping, pouring, mixing, filtering or agitating liquids. Static electricity can be controlled with proper bonding and grounding. Bonding connects pieces of conductive equipment to keep them at the same potential. This way static sparking cannot take place when connected objects have the same potential. Grounding is a specia...

Loading cement trucks presents several safety hazards. Accidents often result in serious injuries or even fatalities, which is why it’s so important to make workplace safety a top priority. In the daily rush, it may be difficult for drivers and facility managers to imagine that an accident could happen on their watch. To safeguard your employees, it’s critical to proactively implement fall prevention practices designed to keep your workers out of harm’s way. Here are four ways to boost worker safety at your cement loading facility: 1. Implement Proper Truck Spotting Procedures In a cement loading facility, it’s critical that the truck is spotted correctly every single time. Otherwise, serious (and even fatal) accidents may occur. Even with the right safety equipment, your employees are still at risk of an accident if a truck isn’t properly spotted. If a cement truck is mis-spotted, the safety cage won’t align with the top hatches. Track mounting allows the gangway to be moved along ...

Investing in the right fall prevention equipment is an important part of mitigating the risk of injuries and fatalities in the workplace and improving rail safety. A crashbox or operator platform is the built-in railing area that surrounds the hatch opening or valves on a rail car. An opening for workers to walk through should be centered within the crashbox. When it’s not centered, the crashbox is considered to be offset. The Dangers Of Offset Crashboxes When a crashbox/operator platform is offset, working conditions become more dangerous for workers. Several risks are associated with offset crashboxes, including spotting the gangway and fall prevention. To access the hatch or valve, a worker must first line up the gangway with the opening of the crashbox so an operator is able to walk to the top of the rail car. At the same time, a human spotter is on the ground, walking alongside the rail car. There may also be employees keeping sight of a mark or ladder on the car to provide gu...

When transporting bulk goods by rail, it’s important to have a safe, efficient way to load and unload your rail cars. Although this is a routine activity for many companies, it presents significant safety hazards, including the potential of injury or death after a fall. Having the proper fall prevention equipment is important, but proper rail car spotting and orientation also have a direct impact on rail safety. Even with all of the right equipment, your operators and employees are still at risk of a fall if your rail cars aren’t spotted correctly. Keys To Effective Rail Car Spotting Rail car spotting is one of the hardest practices to instill in your team, but it’s one of the most important steps in fall prevention. Best practices for safe and effective rail car spotting depend on whether your cars are coupled or uncoupled. Some factors to take into consideration when spotting a rail car include: Easy access to the rail car without having to climb over a railing Proper spott...

Bottom Loading Arm Systems are the ideal solution when it comes to fall prevention. There are plenty of other benefits as well: - Operator remains on the ground avoiding falls. - Connections can be made quickly reducing overall loading time. - Bottom loading fills tanks faster and creates less turbulence in the tank so the danger of generating static electricity is reduced. - Multiple compartments can be loaded simultaneously. - Bottom loading reduces vapors. There are different types of bottom loading arm systems to handle anything from food and water to aggressive chemicals and acids. Unsupported Boom Type Bottom Loader provides flexible long-range operation that’s reliable and easy to use. Five swivel planes of rotation create the flexibility that makes tight connections possible for loading and unloading rail cars and tank trucks. The unsupported boom type loader is quite versatile and is typically installed at or near ground level. Arms of varying lengths can be mounted on stagg...

Diesel Exhaust Fluid, also referred to as DEF, is a clear, non-flammable liquid made using a solution of 32.5% high-purity urea in 67.5% de-mineralized water. DEF is non-hazardous and is neither a fuel nor a fuel additive. If Diesel Exhaust Fluid comes into contact with skin or clothing, no worries, it can be washed off with water. The urea used in DEF is created synthetically from ammonia and carbon dioxide (CO2) and is often found in products we use every day including cosmetics, hair conditioner, and adhesives. Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is used in combination with a Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from a diesel-fueled vehicle’s exhaust system. The DEF is sprayed into the exhaust where it works with the catalyst to break down NOx into nitrogen and water rendering it harmless. In diesel powered vehicles there is a dedicated Diesel Exhaust Fluid tank that is refilled in a similar way to the diesel tank. Diesel Exhaust Fluid ...

There are several instances in which trucks will be used to carry crude oil and other fuels or fluids to a different location. Tanker trucks usually get oil from storage tanks and take it to a loading terminal to transload the fuel into railcars. Depending on the distance to the refinery or pipeline connection, the tank truck may be able to take the shipment the entire way. However, if the drive will be a long one, it is more cost effective to do things the old-fashioned way and transload the product onto railcars. Tanker trucks extract crude oil or other fluids from the storage tanks located fairly near the wellheads. Then the operator drives the truck to the nearest terminal where a rail spur allows railcars to get into the terminal, be filled, and then get back to the main railway. When the railcars arrive at their next stop it will be another terminal where the reverse actions will take place. This terminal is located near the refinery, and will be equipped for transloading from...

  If you work in a chemical plant, you may be aware of the risks chemical plants pose to employees and the bottom line of the company. Workers must encounter potentially dangerous chemicals to process the products. But managers also need to keep the materials coming in and the products moving out. In this case, a truck loading rack can prove to be an invaluable safety tool. If you are looking for an innovative way to safely transport materials, check out the RediRack from Carbis Solutions. Designing your ideal loading rack solution is often a challenging and tedious task. What types of vehicles will be loading or unloading there? Who will operate the equipment? What challenges exist at the site such as piping obstructions, traffic flow issues, and safety requirements? Before long even simple solutions can get overwhelming. That is why Sam Carbis Solutions Group designed RediRack. The RediRack Component System The RediRack System begins with a standard 4’ x 6’ pedestal support...

Perfect for loading a variety of truck and rail car hatch configurations, tracking gangways are heavy-duty and maintenance-free making them an ideal part of your company's fall prevention plan. Gangways are an important part of a company’s fall prevention plan. They provide safety and efficiency when accessing trucks and rail cars. Gangways allow workers to walk safely from a loading platform across to the top of a tank truck or rail car. But what exactly is a tracking gangway and why would you need one? First of all, there are several types of gangways – flat ramp, telescoping and self-leveling staircase. There are also different gangway installation options including fold down, pivoting and tracking. Any of the above gangway models can be mounted on a track that will allow the gangway to roll from one horizontal location to another along the track. Tracking gangways are ideal for applications that take place along a horizontal range and require a variety of truck and hatch c...

Okay, you've purchased loading arms for your company so workers don't have to lug around heavy hoses causing injury and creating trip and fall hazards. But now what? In order to make the most of your new loading arms as far as efficiency and safety are concerned you may want to look at some accessories that can help. API Couplers API couplers make a safe connection between tank truck and loading arm. Using API couplers helps ensure the operation is secure before a worker starts the flow process. Safety features include assurance of a proper connection before the operation will begin. No disconnection will take place either if the valve is still open. This helps create a safer workplace and keeps the environment safe by preventing spills during connection and disconnection. API couplers can be used in the petrochemical industry when dry coupling is required. Constructed using aluminum alloy with hard coated surfaces in areas that are subject to wear. Viton® seals are easy to...