Vol 06 Issue 1
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www.asiaiga.org Volume 6 Issue 1 January 2009 newsnews Newsletter of the Asia Industrial Gases Association MITA (P) 015/02/2009 Outlook for 2009 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ he drastic slowdown of the global economies has Asian level. This proposal was put forward last year as AIGA impacted the gases industry in general and members was aware that on some priority safety issues, we can reach T are responding quickly to the new environment in out to the target audience effectively only at the country various ways. level. The smaller companies in Asia often do not come to an AIGA has also started to rethink part of its 2009 Asian event due to the cost and time constraints, even programme in view of the new environment facing its though AIGA only charges a minimal fee to cover costs. members. AIGA has also identified acetylene gas safety as a AIGA’s Technical Committee (TC) is looking into its work priority concern in Asia. plan this year. Some face-to-face meetings may be dropped in Although the gas is still used extensively in some countries 2009 and replaced by tele-conferences, since members are in Asia, expertise is a dwindling resource both in Asia and working to trim their travel plans. Europe. Notwithstanding this, AIGA is committed to continue its An ad-hoc team has been formed (headed by Vincent activities for 2009. Moreau, Linde Group) to look into organising one or more Looking ahead, the TC has decided to re-structure the Acetylene Gas Safety Seminars at the country level. This will Annual Meeting for 2009 by holding smaller technical be done in conjunction with the national associations of the meetings at the country level instead of doing this on a pan- countries identified. The plan is to use available training th materials (from EIGA) and replicate 777 AIGA AAAGM them for an Asian audience in at least one to two countries this year. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Speakers will be drawn from associate companies of our members. ur AGM was held The seminar will be a one to two on 25 August day event depending on the needs of O together with the the association. AIGA hopes to roll annual gathering of this out in the second half of 2009. members for the 2008 The other key activities for AIGA Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. revolve around our Technical Work A total of 11 members Groups and our participation in were present for the international harmonisation work with meeting. During the the other regional associations CGA, meeting, the new AIGA EIGA and JIMGA. Board members were Under the five Work Groups, confirmed for the term AIGA adopted and issued a number of 2008-2010. documents in 2008 (see New Publications). The Work Groups will President : Murray Covello (Praxair)* Mok K.W. handing over to the new elected president Murray. continue to review documents from the Vice President: Wilbur Mok (Air Products) other associations and adopt them for Secretary: Sanjiv Lamba (Linde Group) Asia in the months ahead. Treasurer: Helmut Schneider (Messer China) The work on international Members: Mok Kwong Weng (Air Liquide), harmonisation is described in a Masashi Yamashita (Taiyo separate report. Nippon Sanso), F. Ohya (Iwatani) The AIGA Board will also be Co-opted: Tom Lout (Chairman of TC) reviewing AIGA strategic plan for the Secretary General Wilbur Mok future and more information will be * In January 2009, Murray Covello returned to the U.S. Under the AIGA succession given when this is completed. process, the vice president, Wilbur Mok succeeds Murray as president. AIGA 2008 Meeting ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ he 2008 Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on the subject Most of the speakers for this year’s Meeting were drawn “Product Vehicle Safety and Accident Prevention” from the Asia operations of member companies and much T was held successfully with over 140 participants useful experience was shared. from Malaysia and other Asian countries. In line with AIGA’s objective to disseminate safety The event was jointly organised with the FMM-MIGMA, knowledge to as wide an audience as possible, proceedings the national association in Malaysia representing the of the Meeting have been uploaded to our website industrial gases industry. Publications section. AAAppreciation for Work Group Membersss ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ he AIGA Board conveyed its appreciation to work group T members for the year 2008 with a simple certificate of recognition. Members who attended the AIGA 2008 Meeting received their certificates from the President during the dinner for the Meeting (see snapshots). Ernest Khoo (Air Products) Du Pu (Messer China) Hou Xi Sheng (Praxair China) Vera Jarugaruna (Air Liquide, Thailand) Kasien Laiyakosit (Linde) Ang Lee San (Air Products) Vincent Lai (Linde) Ken Ikoma (Taiyo Nippon Sanso) Ison Lin (Praxair) Jerrold Sameth (Matheson Tri-Gas, TNS) Ichirou Nakayama (Taiyo Nippon Sanso) TTTechnical Committee TTTeam International Harmonisation ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Update ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ he Board has affirmed the appointment of Tom Lout ○ (Praxair) as the chairman of the Technical Committee rd (TC) for the term starting 2008 at the August 2008 he International Harmonisation Council held its 23 T Meeting on 21-22 August 2008 in Osaka, Japan. Meeting. Kouji Ikoma (Taiyo Nippon Sanso) will continue as the vice chairman. T The meeting was hosted by the Japan Industrial and Other members of the TC are : Medical Gases Association (JIMGA). Loke Chong Ngean (Air Liquide) – chairman of Safety A list of seven ‘A’ (high priority) projects were Advisory Group recommended to the Global Committee and were Jim Lucas (Air Products) – sponsor for Packaged Gases subsequently approved at the IOMA Global Committee Work Group meeting in October 2008. Vincent Moreau ( Linde Group) – sponsor for Medical Gases Work Group New ‘A’ projects: Du Pu (Messer China) – chairman for Transportation § Road vehicle emergency & recovery Work Group A § Safe location of occupied buildings in industrial gas Soehadi (Iwatani) plants The TC met in November 2008 in Thailand. § Safety distances for hydrogen systems § Site security Work Groups Update § Transport security ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The following works are currently under review by the § Qualifying customers purchasing compressed gases Work Groups (WG): § Safe operation of hydrogen plants (including burner § Medical Gases WG management & safe start-up/shutdown) i) Adoption of IGC 73/08 – Design considerations to mitigate the potential risks of toxicity when using On-going open projects: non-metallic materials in high pressure oxygen § Sea transport of MEGC’s and cryogenic tanks breathing gas systems § Bulk cryogenic air gases at production sites ii) Studying the adoption of ISO 32 for colour coding of § Centrifugal compressors for oxygen service medical gas cylinders § Design & operation of cryogenic enclosures iii) Evaluating new projects on external cleaning of § Operating gas cylinders with quick opening valves contaminated medical gas cylinders and decanting § Disposal of gases of medical gases from large to small cylinders. § Near misses on electronic specialty gases § Electronic Specialty Gases WG § Safe handling of electronic specialty gases - Review of IGC 30/07 – Disposal of Gases § Safe location of oxygen & nitrogen vents § Transportation WG ‘A’ – Studying the issue of road § Code of practice for arsine conditions and how they affect drivers’ performance and § Code of practice for phosphine accident prevention § Fire hazards in oxygen and oxygen enriched § Transport WG ‘B’ – Studying the issue of driver fatigue atmospheres and accident prevention § Packaged Gases WG – Several EIGA documents are being reviewed by the group. New publications Since the second half of 2008 AIGA has issued the following new AIGA 054/08 – Prevention of excessive pressure during filling of publications: cryogenic vessels AIGA 047/08 – Safe preparation of gas mixtures AIGA 055/08 – Installation guide for stationary, electric motor AIGA 048/08 – Reciprocating compressors for oxygen service driven centrifugal oxygen pumps AIGA 049/08 – Guideline for bulk medical supply system for AIGA 056/08 – Safe practices guide for cryogenic air separation healthcare facilities plants AIGA 050/08 – Code of practice for Arsine AIGA 057/08 – Safe use of aluminium heat exchangers for AIGA 051/08 – Code of practice for Phosphine producing pressurised oxygen AIGA 052/08 – Storage & handling of silane and silane mixtures AIGA 058/08 – Safe preparation of compressed oxidant fuel gas AIGA 053/08 – Code of practice for compressed fluorine & mixtures in cylinders mixtures with inert gases 298 Tiong Bahru Road #20-01 Central Plaza Singapore 168730 Tel: (65) 6276 0160 Fax: (65) 6274 9379 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.asiaiga.org.