The Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable pressure equipment regulations oblige South African operators to ensure that pressure equipment and associated safety technologies meet the requisite standards, including the European Pressure Equipment Directive, says industrial solutions company Brimis Engineering.

Companies can face various regulatory and operational barriers, including fines and sanctions enforced by the State, as well as operational disruptions and/or reputational damage, if safety obligations are neglected. For example, the company maintains ongoing valve maintenance contracts with State-owned power utility Eskom for several of its power stations.

The company’s scope of maintenance, outage and control and instrumentation work at Eskom’s coal-fired power stations includes the entire valves maintenance process: “From initial inspection and condition assessment . . . to repairs, refurbishment, testing, relevant technical documentation, applicable certification and reinstallation,” says Brimis Engineering key account manager and valve specialist Anton Pereira.

Brimis also works on critical power generation equipment that includes ensuring equipment integrity, operational safety and reliability, as well as statutory and technical compliance.

Its valve safety solutions are “particularly apt” for industries such as power generation, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, and mining, as they protect industrial equipment and ensure optimal operation, thereby reducing the risk of downtime.

“Brimis Engineering provides comprehensive valve maintenance services for boiler and turbine systems at multiple Eskom power stations, supporting the safe and reliable operation of critical electricity generation infrastructure,” says Pereira, adding that the company’s solutions contribute to plant reliability and employee safety.

Its solutions extend to safe valve removal; disassembly and condition assessment; precision lapping of valve seating surfaces; machining; manufacturing replacement components aligned to design; material and repair specifications; and non-destructive testing, repairs and refurbishment, to original equipment manufacturer standards.

“Our services include, where applicable, authorised set-pressure adjustment, functional testing, set-pressure verification, seat-tightness testing, certification within the applicable authorisations [as well as] reinstallation,” he adds.

The company is also ISO 9001- and ISO 3834-certified, which is indicative of Brimis’ commitment to providing “high-quality end-to-end valve maintenance”.

“Our comprehensive technical capabilities . . . support customers throughout the valve life cycle . . . By partnering with us, industrial operators gain access to a comprehensive technical service provider committed to protecting personnel, preserving critical infrastructure and promoting safe, efficient and reliable industrial operations,” Pereira concludes.