The Utile Engineering Co. Ltd.
05/02/07
Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire. England
Tel: +44 (0) 1933 650216
Fax: +44 (0) 1933 652738
4 IC090CL
Read the installation and operating instructions carefully.
Rotating machinery and pressurised components are potentially dangerous items of equipment if not operated and
maintained in the correct manner. It is imperative that all users of such equipment fully educate themselves as to
the potential dangers and satisfy themselves that those personnel responsible for installing, testing, commissioning,
operating and maintaining the plant are competent to do so. Instruction manuals are provided for guidance but
must assume some basic level of competence by user staff. If there are any doubts or ambiguities concerning
correct procedures, ask Utile Engineering, who will be pleased to advise, instruct or provide a service engineer. DO
NOT TAKE RISKS.
The following, whilst not exhaustive, provide guidance as to possible sources of danger to health and safety:-
Certain machinery can generate high levels of noise which can be harmful to people exposed to it for lengthy
periods of time. Various recommendations and codes of practice are in existence and users must ensure that
adequate precautions are taken to prevent a health hazard to employees or third party.
Boosters, by their very nature, raise the pressure of a gas from one pressure level to another and equipment with
internal pressures above or below ambient pressures can create a hazard. Before attempting to investigate
problems, service or maintain equipment, it must be safely depressurised or pressurised to ambient conditions.
Also since the gaseous medium may be flammable, toxic, corrosive or otherwise hazardous it may be necessary to
purge the compressor installation with an inert gas, such as nitrogen. Special precautions are necessary for certain
gases and the user must ensure that adequate procedures are drawn up and implemented.
Moving parts of machinery must not be touched and must be adequately guarded. Suitable guards are provided
and must be securely retained in position at all times except when maintenance or service is being undertaken.
Before commencing maintenance, servicing or making other adjustments, the prime mover and other equipment
must be isolated electrically or otherwise immobilised to prevent accidental start-up. In this vein, a fully qualified
electrician should carry out all electrical work and all electrical equipment should be isolated before it is touched
and pneumatic or hydraulic controls depressurised and made safe. Procedures must also exist to ensure that
electrical or other inputs cannot be restored accidentally during the maintenance or service period.
NO attempt should be made to touch shafts, etc. whilst the machine is rotating. Particular care is needed when
checking clearances in machines and when inserting fingers through ports to check clearances, etc. Any movement
of may trap fingers
Most machines, casings and certain pipes and ancillaries become hot during. If it is possible for personnel to come
into contact with such surfaces unknowingly or accidentally they should be guarded.
If, during operation, severe vibration is observed on the booster, it's prime mover, pipework, or ancillaries, the
cause of this should be immediately investigated and the situation rectified. Excessive vibration can lead to fatigue
and other failures. Similarly, if during operation a significant change is noticed in the level of vibration, noise,
temperature or any other parameter, the cause of such changes must be determined, and the cause rectified.
Inlet filters must be inspected regularly so that debris is not allowed to enter the machine. Drainage systems must
also be serviced regularly to ensure that there is no liquid carryover.
Safety trips, emergency stopbuttons and other such devices are to be checked regularly to ensure that they
continue to function correctly and will protect the installation and personnel in the event of an emergency.
During routine maintenance, coupling alignment should be checked to ensure that no damage would result from
excessive misalignment.
Only approved lubricants must be used and quantities, etc must be checked regularly.
After completion of servicing, all nuts, setscrews, etc must be checked for tightness
Before restarting after servicing, check all joints, etc are gas tight and carry out purging as necessary before
introducing the process gas. Also, before any start-up, check that the machine inlet and outlet isolating valves are
open and that the discharge non-return valve is the correct way round in the line.
Impellers on centrifugal compressors should be subject to periodic inspection to guard against undetected
corrosion or erosion that could lead to failure.
Health and Safety
