The Hazardex & PPTex 2020 Awards for Excellence took place during a well-attended Gala Dinner on February 26 following a fantastic first day of the Hazardex 2020 Conference & Exhibition.

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A total of 25 nominations were shortlisted across five categories, designed to recognise excellence in the hazardous area sector. The categories were Technical Innovation, Best User Application, Best Customer Service, Contribution to Safety, plus the additional Delegates' Award which was voted for on the day by event attendees.

Thank you to our Awards sponsors, CSA Group and Connectivity, for their support!

Over the last decade, the Hazardex Awards programme has become the benchmark for those supplying products, services and systems within hazardous areas. The winners were all voted by Hazardex journal and website readers and users, as well as event attendees.

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Category 1 – Technical Innovation - Sponsored by CSA Group

An innovative product or system for use in hazardous area environments.

Winner – Hawke International

Cable gland conversion kit & tightening guide

Hawke International developed a special conversion kit for its Universal 501/453 cold flow compliant cable gland. The kit enables the Universal to be easily converted into a barrier gland. Essentially this means that Hawke has created a ‘one gland, two applications’ proposition, allowing customers to purchase one gland for both their standard and barrier gland needs.

Hawke also has a patented tightening guide which is integrated into all its glands, as standard. The guide reduces the chance of glands being over or under tightened – a major health and safety issue for companies within harsh and hazardous environments.

Highly commended

BEKA associates – New alternative to Ex d indicators

Eaton – MTL SUM5

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Category 2 – PPTex Innovation - Sponsored by CSA Group

The best innovation in Personnel Protection Technologies (PPT) equipment incorporating electronic and technological systems that the user can wear, hold or use to improve safety within the process and high hazard industries.

Winner – Pepperl+Fuchs ecom

ATEX certified mobile computing and communication devices

Pepperl+Fuchs ecom's products consists of explosion-protected mobile phones, 4G smartphones and tablets that meet the highest requirements in industrial use. At the Hazardex event, Pepperl+Fuchs ecom showcased its application-oriented range of mobile phones, tablets, PDA’s, two-way radios, remote speaker microphones, headsets and HMI solutions, designed for use in harsh and potentially hazardous environments. There was also an opportunity to try out new products such as the Zone 1 / Div 1 Android 4G/LTE Smartphone Smart-Ex 02, the Smart-Ex Watch 01, the Zone 1 / Div 1 Android 4G/LTE tablet Tab-Ex 02 and the Ex-Camera Cube 800, designed for safe operation in Ex-certified and rugged environments, bringing hands-free collaboration to the world’s toughest locations.

Highly commended

RealWear – RealWear HMT-1Z1

Re-Gen Robotics – Explosion proof, robotic tank cleaning technology

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Category 3 – Best User Application - Sponsored by CSA Group

An application story highlighting the benefits of a product, system or service for use in hazardous area environments.

Winner – Institute of Measurement & Control 

Ex Special Interest Group

This special interest group is dedicated to the management of Explosive Atmosphere (Ex) hazards, that will be familiar territory for many members. The Ex-SIG is responsible for promoting awareness and understanding of Ex matters. The main focus is the set of associated practices and regulations. These areas continue to develop and represent significant challenges for guidance and understanding. The SIG aims to organise conferences, workshops and seminars on Ex matters, and to prepare papers for publication.

Highly commended

WIKA Instruments – Exhibition, training and educational vehicle

Pruftechnik – ROTALIGN touch EX

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Category 4 – Best Customer Service - Sponsored by CSA Group

A company or corporate division that has provided excellent customer service in the sector over the last two years.

Winner – Raytec

Excellence in customer care

As well as designing and manufacturing a full range of LED Ex luminaires, Raytec also provides outstanding customer service through its free Lighting Design service. The free Lighting Design service helps to bring an application to life. Whether for smaller applications with just a few luminaires, or large, complex sites with vast lighting requirements, Raytec can provide exact models and detailed solutions to help hit the requirements needed. Everything is done in-house at Raytec, and 1-to-1 support is provided throughout the entire process to ensure the perfect solution is achieved.

Highly commended

Exloc Instruments

Extronics

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Category 5 – Contribution to Safety - Sponsored by Hazardex

A product, system or service which has made a significant contribution to safety in hazardous area environments.

Winner – Dron & Dickson

Fully integrated hazardous area products and services

Dron & Dickson works towards raising awareness about the importance of hazardous area safety, ignition prevention, and the training and competence of technicians. Dron & Dickson can provide both products (through the Wholesale Division) and services (through the Engineering Services Division) resulting in a fully integrated offering from initial conceptual design, to product selection, through the installation & commissioning, culminating in the ongoing servicing and maintenance of the equipment in field operation. As a result, Dron & Dickson has been working on several different work-streams all with the end goal of making hazardous areas safer and reducing the risk potential of a serious adverse event.

Highly commended

ATEXInspect – Cloud-based software asset management system

ExVeritas – UKAS Inspection, Learn Ex Online and iEx Online

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Delegates' Award - Sponsored by Connectivity

An additional category, the Delegates' Award was voted on by attendees to identify which of the nominated entries provides the overall best hazardous area sector product, system or service. 

Winner – Librestream

Onsight Cube-Ex 

The Onsight Cube-Ex intrinsically safe industrial wearable is a uniquely portable inspection device that provides live video, HD pictures, and thermal imaging to guide teams through hands-free inspections in potentially hazardous environments. Using the Cube-Ex, teams can share live visuals to collaborate with remote subject matter experts, capture valuable information, and perform self-guided work.

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Hazardex Awards 2021

You can play your part in raising awareness and standards across the sector by nominating a company, product or service for the 2021 awards, entering your vote and encouraging your colleagues to do likewise. Nominations will open later in the year.

* The competition is open to all Hazardex journal and website readers and users
* Voters register their votes by sending an email to the organisers and must identify themselves and their company.
* Voters are limited to one vote per category
* Nominees are not permitted to vote for their own company/organisation
* All votes remain confidential

Visit www.hazardex-event.co.uk or contact Russell Goater on +44 (0) 1732 359990 or russell.goater@imlgroup.co.uk for further details on attendance, exhibiting or sponsoring the must-attend Hazardex 2021.