Firstly, it is worth noting why the safety interlocks are so important for all industries. Take for example operational and maintenance procedures. These involve human intervention and interrupt automated processes creating “abnormal” conditions for the duration of the work. Loading or unloading of pig traps, changeover of pressure relief valves, turbine servicing, coupling or uncoupling of hoses; all involve human intervention and are possible areas of human error.

Safety interlocking provides a system that eliminates human error and prevents industrial accidents by ensuring a safe sequence of events. An operating error at a valve can have dramatic consequences such as personal injuries, damages to the plant, or even contamination of the environment. Thus, the safe operation of host equipment must be guaranteed. By using safety interlocks you are ensuring the correct sequence of operating procedures is adhered to.

Mechanical key safety interlocking is a technology that has evolved to offer sophisticated technical solutions to complex and hazardous process applications.

The interlock prevents unauthorized or inadvertent operation of interlocking valves or associated process equipment by keeping the coded keys, which initiate the operation of critical valves under secure supervisory control.

The way that the innovative ENEX i-LOCK works is an vast improvement on the conventional lock and the mechanism involved is ‘patented’.

The ENEX i-LOCK works as a trapped key lock, providing the advantage that it can be used in an environment where it is important for two valves not to be both opened at the same time. In this way, in the event that the first valve is to be opened, the key is inserted in the first lock and the first valve is opened. However, the key, which is also required to open the second valve, cannot be removed from the first lock until the first valve is closed once again, thereby preventing the second valve from being opened at the same time.

The innovative ENEX i-LOCK product range are gaining increasing international recognition as the SAFEST Mechanical Trapped Key Safety Interlock of the modern era and the most effective safety management tool designed to eliminate human error or violations from process and pipeline operations executed by human intervention.

Please visit  Mechanical Valve Interlocks for more information on ENEX Interlocks.