This article was originally published in the November/December 2023 issue of BIC Magazine. It was written by Bryan Bulling, RedGuard's Northeastern Director of Sales.

The best course for safety traditionally lies in ensuring people are located far from hazards. Unfortunately, there are instances when that is not possible. Oil and gas refineries are one such work site; chemical facilities, power generation, military installations, and research laboratories are a few others. Blast-resistant buildings protect those who must work close to these hazards. They may be temporary or permanent structures, but they are present due to the potential for saving lives and protecting valuable assets should a catastrophic event occur.

This article was created for the July/August 2023 issue of BIC Magazine. It's presented here in its original unedited format. In the early days of the blast-resistant building industry, RedGuard was approached to design a new option for mobile modular blast-resistant buildings. In response, the company created its first generation of steel blast-resistant buildings. At the same time, it also started building LeaseFleet, what is now North America’s largest fleet of steel, blast-resistant buildings. These leasable blast-resistant structures are used for projects all over the world when a temporary solution for safe space in a hazardous area is required.

In any team project, it is essential that all members provide unbiased recommendations for the product or solution being developed. This is particularly important in situations where safety is at risk, such as in the oil and gas industry. It is imperative that the team responsible for creating the specifications to protect people from potential hazards remain neutral and unbiased. It is important that they remain separate from the manufacturing and selling process. This ethical separation is critical in ensuring that greed does not influence the solution developed.

Understanding the range of electric (EVs) is an important factor to consider when purchasing one for commercial use. Most drivers today understand miles per gallon, or mpg. This is the standard unit for gas car efficiency. We know a small, lightweight, compact car with a 4-cylinder engine can achieve 30-40 miles per gallon (mpg). When hauling heavy loads or equipment, the fuel efficiency of a large work truck or SUV can be as low as 8-10 mpg. In most instances, we know that if we have to go 100 miles, we are probably safe buying four to five gallons of gasoline before moving on. And gas stations are pretty prevalent should we need to top up.

When it comes to timelines for blast-resistant buildings, we often caution people that there are vendors in the industry that will claim they can finish a job within a questionable timeline - just to get the job. That leads to the question, “What is a realistic timeline to install a blast-resistant building?”

The old business adage to “under-promise,” so that you can “over-deliver” in order to delight your customers, is almost engrained in American culture. It’s the service that most of us expect when we are the customer. But unfortunately, it isn’t the service that is most often delivered.

Those who work in the oil and gas industry are often tasked with procuring blast-resistant buildings for turnarounds and protection. They often do so by comparing quotes and proposals from multiple vendors. This process is often referred to as RFP or RFQ.

Those who work in oil and gas are likely familiar with the concept of Request for Proposals (RFP), also referred to as Request for Quotes (RFQ). In fact, depending on where you work, you may have a set of standards to follow that each RFP must conform to, with rules for each vendor who submits a proposal or quote. And for other companies, each RFP may be different and customized depending on what you are seeking.

Being environmentally conscious or eco-conscious is defined as being environmentally aware and sensitive to potential environmental impact. If your day-to-day operations include storing, accumulating, or dispensing chemicals that could negatively impact the environment, it’s your responsibility to make sure that you are properly controlling those elements. Beyond just being a good steward of the environment, environmental compliance is a heavily regulated and monitored part of responsible chemical handling. Government entities like OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and most state and local governments all have specific standards that must be followed to avoid violations that could result in penalties and workflow interruptions.