In industries where gaskets are not just important but essential, there are numerous challenges to be faced and considerations to take on board. This is especially true when it comes to making sure this “essential” element is also compliant.
With the implementation of stricter standards and new measures to address accountability, can you afford for your manway gaskets to be non-compliant?
Today, this accountability surrounds being responsible for Non-Accident Releases (NARs) and how a business manages these is of the utmost importance.
Common problems with manways
The most common issues found with manway gaskets and man lid door seals include:
- Loose bolts
- Missing gaskets
- Deteriorated gaskets, and
- Misaligned gaskets
All of these issues relate to manway door seals and man lid door seals and often occur due to the varying compression sets / creep they face. These compression sets occur regardless of whether you’re using a rubber gasket or Teflon material type gasket and do impact on sealing, hence affecting NARs in a big way.
You may often find that additional torquing may also be required when bolts loosen.
However, the impact on seals and gaskets from using wrenches and other such tools is that they can compress and stress elastomeric gaskets too much, causing them to split or crack. (To achieve the perfect sealing, 25% compression is the recommended amount of pressure to be used).
In the case of Teflon or Garlock gaskets, fittings can also be easily damaged if excess over-torquing is used; rendering most gaskets unable to be reused with no guarantees for optimal sealing if these fittings require additional re-torquing throughout their usage.
A solution to staying compliant
If you believe your manway gasket to be non-compliant, or you’re concerned about NARs and experiencing inconsistencies when it comes to how manway gaskets are installed, you need to start looking for long-lasting and indeed reusable seals.
Using a precision-engineered gasket that incorporates a sealing bolt torque that can be maintained, as well as not being able to fall into manways, and where the installation is simplified, will ultimately help you to improve the safety of manway door seals and man lid door seals as well as keep you fully compliant.
Using the Parker Hannifin Sure Torque Gasket is one great solution to provide you with all of the above and so much more.
Eliminating all issues relating to compression set and creep due to its carefully designed compression control and stainless-steel inset. Designed for universal use, the Parker gasket fits all nozzle and lid designs with ease.
It is also reusable, maintains bolt torque, doesn’t require bolt re-torquing, and is a gasket that can’t fall into the manway.
The Parker design is also one of the first to allow for a more simplified design approach allowing for increased speed in securement, without the worry of spills and leakages.
The rubber mixing capability and seal numbers also ensure full traceability back to the raw materials used in the manufacturing process.
This particular gasket provides a wide range of elastomers to work alongside and combat many of the sealing challenges faced by industries today.
It is possible to achieve an effective and compliant seal with existing gaskets and Specialist Sealing Products has a range of gaskets available to suit a wide variety of industries and businesses.
Selecting the right material is critical to ensure long term sealability; and with an increase in accountability for NARs as well as more inspections and expectations to use safer technologies, now is the time to check your manway gaskets are up to scratch.
The costs of failing to have robust and reliable seals in place, far out way anything else.
With the threat of large and often unlimited fines, working and using the right gaskets is about improving the safety of manways in all capacities and ensuring the best outcome for all parties.
Contact Specialist Sealing Products to find out more about the manway gaskets we have available and how we can keep your gaskets fully compliant.
