While the harsh weather conditions of winter present an obvious need for hazardous area equipment that can withstand heavy rain, strong winds and extreme cold, the spring-summer months bring their own risks that can be mitigated through the use of the correct hazardous area equipment.
The obvious example is the swing from cold temperatures to much hotter days, with the record for England set at 38.5C in Kent in August 2003, more than 20 degrees higher than the December and January all-time highs of 18.3C.
Direct sunlight on metal and dark surfaces, especially in sheltered and enclosed areas, can cause heat to build up much further, making it crucial to specify hazardous area equipment that can withstand real-world temperatures while protecting any thermally sensitive circuits or hazardous substances against damage and ignition.
Meanwhile, the lighter evenings are a good time to carry out an audit of your hazardous area lighting and make sure that it activates when extra illumination is needed, even if the sky is not completely dark yet.
Finally, make good use of the longer days and better conditions to carry out any routine maintenance or to replace any expired bulbs in hazardous area lighting equipment in good time and good weather, ready for the latter part of the season when the sunsets start to draw in once again.
