Buttkereit’s systems drive safety improvements in food production

Buttkereit is playing a big part in the drive for safer working environments in food factories by extending its comprehensive range of cable management systems that are ATEX approved.

Work-related fatalities continue to fall in the UK – 123 deaths in 2021/22 is lower than the previous year according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). That includes fatalities caused by explosive atmospheres in the manufacturing sector. Buttkereit credits this to a combination of stringent safety measures introduced to eliminate or control risks - and the availability of high-quality equipment such as ATEX certified cable management systems.

The entire food industry is well aware that explosions can still happen due to combustible dust from processes involving very common ingredients such as flour and sugar. All technical equipment that is a potential ignition source can trigger an explosion under certain conditions which is why Buttkereit’s range of ATEX approved cable management kit is ideal for potentially hazardous manufacturing environments.

The leading specialist in state-of-the-art cable entry equipment says conventional systems are generally not suitable within facilities where combustible materials including gases, vapours, mist or dust could be present. There is a huge choice of ATEX cable entry systems in the UK that are applicable to hazardous environments, but it’s a lot less hassle, safer and more cost-effective to go with an expert in the field, according to Buttkereit director Martin Buttkereit.

He explained: “Many alternative solutions are difficult to use and fiddly. Ours is straightforward and patented as well as extremely well priced for ATEX. We also have over 20 years’ experience in the field of cable management, and offer the highest standards of consultation and advice to find the right solutions for any food production application. Or indeed, any other industry.”

Buttkereit products that are now available with the ATEX certification that meet the level of protection required include the DES splittable cable entry system, DES PRED split cable gland and DES PDM push through multi cable entry plates.

The increasing switch to cables with pre-fitted and moulded plugs is almost certainly subject to the ATEX directive too. Cables such as USB and RJ45 are used extensively and are difficult to re-wire. In these cases, a split cable entry system can save assembly time and production costs.

Buttkereit specialises in the field of cable management for a variety of sectors. Products include cable energy chains, cable entry systems, protective flexible conduit, EMC shield clamps, flexible cable and LED lighting towers and beacons. The systems’ other accreditations include ECOLAB for food and pharma and fire safety standard EN-45545 for rail applications.

In addition to ATEX safety cabling systems Buttkereit announced recently that it is expanding its equipment range in the UK with the launch of DIN Rail power supplies, capable of operating in a wide range of challenging industrial environments.

Mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, logistics, wind power and the process industry are just a few of the sectors that can benefit from these highly reliable and efficient compact units. They are available in a wide range of output voltage and current options from 5A up to 40A with switch mode, single-phase and three-phase options.