An Introduction toFragment Retention Fluorescent Lamps

Benefits – Applications - Standards

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GlassGuard®

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GlassGuard® is probably Europe’s largest manufacturer of Fragment Retention Fluorescent Lamps (often referred to as shatterproof lamps) for the food, packaging and pharmaceutical industries through to public sector applications such as schools, sports halls and hospitals. Anywhere a broken lamp could cause a hazard GlassGuard® can provide an industry compliant solution. Based in Thetford, Norfolk we apply a special “BlackBand” polymer coating at high speed to standard lamps in compliance with IEC 61549 industry standard offering 100% glass fragment retention.

Content• What happens when a fluorescent lamp is accidentally broken?• Examples of product recall• Risk of personal injury • Risk evaluation and environment• What are Fragment Retention Lamps (FRLs)?• Where to consider using Fragment Retention Lamps (FRLs)• Case Study – Arla Foods • Case Study – Thompson Primary School• BS EN / IEC 61549 Industry Standard• Quality performance and identification• Safer handling and recycling• The recycling process • Test questions

When a Fluorescent Lamp Breaks

Example of initial impact using a specialised camera.Note you can also see the phosphor powder cloud as it escapes from the glass.

When accidentally dropped onto a flat concrete surface a fluorescent lamp will instantly shatter scattering glass shards and phosphor chemicals up to a 10 metre radius. A simple mishandling accident can result in risk of personal injury and contamination to the surrounding environment. A messy clean up process then follows and small glass shards can still typically be found weeks after the incident. Accounting for every glass shard is a near impossibility. The potential on cost associated with possible injury and downtime can run into thousands.

The Cost to Industry From Glass ContaminationRuns Into Millions £££’s

Potential Personal InjuryH&S Responsibilities

Example of glass contamination after a 2 metre impact

Most situations involving broken glass usually presents a potential risk of injury. However, in the case of a broken 5ft or 6ft fluorescent tube for example the risk can be much greater due to the volume of glass shards and various particle sizes present. Any persons entering the vicinity where a fluorescent tube has been broken could pick up tiny shards under foot causing potential injury, even after a costly clean up process. Unlike metals, glass is undetectable and visual inspection may not guarantee 100% accountability.

Risk Evaluation and Environment

The risk of direct impact by a flying object to lighting fixtures is usually taken into account in many applications as totally enclosed fittings are installed. However, an often overlooked critical control point occurs when diffuser covers are removed and unprotected glass lamps are handled during periods of maintenance present a risk. A simple mishandling accident can result in wide spread glass & phosphor powder contamination. As the majority of fluorescent lamps are 1.5 metres and 1.8 metres long the handling, installation and removal process is more open to breakage exposure. Most fluorescent lamp installations are either in public places or private businesses and where concrete, wooden or tiled floors are present breakage can occur from an impact height of just 1 metre.

What are Fragment Retention Lamps (FRLs)?

Example of a fragment retention fluorescent lamp after initial impact from 4 metres

Fragment retention fluorescent lamps are ordinary standard glass lamps with an external polymer coating applied to the outside surface including the metal end caps. Upon impact breakage the polymer coating controls the “implosion” containing the dangerous glass shards and phosphor chemicals inside. After impact the “snake like” tube with the lamp contents inside can be removed safely protecting the surrounding environment. FRLs are identifiable by the additional ring marking at one end of the lamp.

Where to Consider Using Fragment Retention Lamps (FRLs)

• Food processing, packaging and preparation

• Food storage and displays

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing

•Sports and leisure facilities

•Schools and other educational facilities

•Health care trusts

• Public places subject to vandalism

• Prisons

• Low level lighting (especially open batten fixtures)

Case StudyHaving recently switched to industry compliant fragment retention lamps, Engineering Manager Dale Blunt at the Arla Foods milk processing facility in Ashby de la Zouch, explains how the change has impacted on the plant. “We had issues in the past inside one of the filler cabinets where a light fitting exploded and we weren’t at the time using fragment retention fluorescent tubes. We had to have the filler down for 12 hours to do a really thorough clean, just to make sure that there was no possibility of contamination. Just off that single filler, the down time period was about a £12,000 – £14,000 loss in production. By using industry compliant FRLs now, that risk is taken away completely. Fragment retention lamps, even in accidents, contain the glass within the outer coating, so from a product contamination point of view, for us, it’s essential that we use them.

Even though we’ve got the diffusers fitted, during periods when we’re doing a lamp change the exposure and risk is significantly higher to the product, so by using the coated tubes the risk is reduced to the point where it is controlled. We are audited on a regular basis, externally by our customers, who recognise the single band on the lamps as the industry standard for glass fragment retention.”

Fragment retention lamps are important for a variety of businesses. Any type of production or packaging facility can not afford machinery down time to clean up broken glass, public areas such as schools and sport centres cannot risk injury to members of the public due to broken glass and in today’s tough economic climate everyone wants value for money.

Thompson Primary School in Norfolk has taken positive steps to save money and improve safety for both staff and pupils by fitting new T5 fluorescent fixtures with fragment retention lamps as standard.

New T5 fixtures with FRLs have been installed in the main hall, staff room and foundation class room, delivering a vital energy saving of 37% in these areas. From this installation of just 22 T5 fixtures with FRLs the school will save 1 Kilowatt of energy per hour, which equates to a cash saving £182.00 per year. This is a significant sum for a small school and paves the way for major energy saving opportunities for larger installations. For example a typical high school with 500 T8 fluorescent fixtures could save up to £4,000 per year by switching to T5 FRL fixtures.

Energy efficiency is one concern easily addressed, but safety for pupils and staff is also vitally important, particularly in high risk areas such as the main hall, where the children play sports. Fragment retention fluorescent lamps manufactured to BS EN 61549 standard provide full glass retention when impacted or if accidentally dropped during maintenance and provide total peace of mind Head teacher Mrs Joanne Weight (pictured) is thrilled with the upgrade: “I am delighted to be using fragment retention lamps, which provide safety protection in the event of accidental lamp breakage as well as significant cost savings. I can’t believe that by simply changing every lamp in my school I can save over £8.00 per lamp every year and get shatterproof security for free.”

Case Study

BS EN 61549 / IEC 61549 FRL StandardA technical committee within the Lighting Industry Association (LIA) introduced a European manufacturing quality standard for Fragment Retention Fluorescent Lamps during 2010 and was approved by CENELEC the European electro-technical committee for standardisation. Recognising the many different product performance specifications of manufacturers led to the introduction of BS EN 61549 / IEC 61549 standard. The standard demands that all Fragment Retention Fluorescent Lamps contain 100% glass fragments from a minimum horizontal impact height of 4 metres. The polymer coating should also meet a 650ºC glow wire test demonstrating good thermal resistance.

FRLs manufactured in compliance with BS EN 61549 / IEC 61549 provide a guaranteed level of protection. This allows users, specifiers, architects, consultants and designers to carry out health & safety responsibilities more effectively by referencing a recognised product standard into lighting specifications where avoidance of glass contamination requires minimisation.

Further information and hard copies of the standard can be obtained from the British Standards Institute (BSI).

Fragment Retention Lamp Standard

Quality Performance and Identification

Twin Band Marking

For open batten fixture operation only.

Non Compliant Products Industry Compliant Products to BS EN / IEC61549

Single Band Marking

For open and enclosed fixture operation.

The majority of fluorescent lamps have a service life of up to 20,000 hours and beyond when operated using High Frequency controls. Correct polymer selection for an effective fragment retention coating is therefore important to withstand the in-service temperatures and longevity. The environment and lighting fixture type also plays a very important part. For example, near end cap lamp temperatures of over 125ºC can be reached in totally enclosed waterproof and dustproof luminaires causing rapid deterioration of the polymer coating.

Single band FRLs have a higher temperature resistant coating applied to them. They can be used in most applications and cover the widest choice of lamps including 16mm diameter T5 High Output.

Example of rapid polymer deterioration of non compliant coatings when operated in enclosed fitting application.

Example of non compliant polymer deterioration at end of service life.

Safer Handling and Recycling

When fluorescent lamps finish their service life and are removed from the users environment the spent lamps are taken to a WEEE collection point. Storage containers are typically used to keep the lamps inside ready to be collected by the contracted recycling company. Due to the fragility of fluorescent lamps, breakages can also occur at this stage causing further potential risk of injury.

Fragment retention fluorescent lamps fall under the same WEEE regulation scheme as standard types. Users and contractors can use their usual collection points for spent lamps as they are not transported or handled any differently to standard lamps.

FRLs are more robust than standard lamps and can withstand a much higher impact before they break. If breakage does occur during the handling and storage process the lamp contents are neatly contained within the fragment retention coating protecting the handler and the surrounding environment.

The Recycling Process

FRLs are recycled at the same processing plants as standard lamps. The coating is removed typically by a stripping processand is separated along with the other lamp components ready to be used again in their next life. FRLs do not go into landfill.

The Recycling Process

The materials recovered from the various processes used in the industry can be used in a number of different ways. It is feasible to recover the lamp phosphor powders, particularly the tri-phosphor type, and re-use them to make new lamps. The mercury collected, when purified to the right level, may also be used to make new lamps or it may be used in other industrial processes. The crushed glass may also be returned to be mixed with a new glass melt for a variety of applications, from furnace linings to making new lamps, though in this latter case the purity level of the recovered glass becomes very important.

Test Questions

1). From an impact height of 2 metres, how far can glass particles spread from a standard fluorescent lamp?

2). Explain the critical control points and environments which can result in breakage?

3). Where would you consider the use of FRLs and why?

4). What is the difference between single and double band FRLs?

5). Which type of luminaires should you avoid installing double band FRLs into and why?

6). What is the relevance of BS EN 61549 / IEC 61549 Standard to industry?

Any Questions?

Contact

Chris Payne (Director)

GlassGuard®

5 Baird Way

Thetford

Norfolk

IP24 1JA

Tel: 01842 763752

E: chris.payne@glassguard.co.uk

Web: www.glassguard.co.uk

GlassGuard® is a trading division of Fotolec Technologies Ltd