Our extensive experience and wide range of hazard evaluation tools enable us to proactively overcome hazardous chemistry challenges in our customers’ projects and ensure high safety standards from the lab to the commercial scale.
Hazard evaluation at Sterling
With more than 50 years’ expertise in the development, scale up and manufacture of hazardous chemistry, we are comfortable taking on even the most complex projects for our customers. We apply technical knowledge, a full-lifecycle perspective, and specialised on-site hazard evaluation equipment and capabilities to mitigate risk at every stage.
Hazard evaluation is an integral part of our new product introduction (NPI) process, as we identify any areas with the potential to become hazardous as the project scales from grams to tons. We are always seeking ways to mitigate hazardous processes wherever possible, and to maximise safety when hazardous processes are required. ... Read more
Our specialised hazard evaluation team was established more than 30 years ago. With integrated expertise in hazard evaluation, engineering, chemistry, and analytical methods, we minimise risk at every stage of our customers’ projects supported by our state-of-the-art hazard evaluation laboratory.
Our on-site hazard evaluation equipment and capabilities include:
- Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC) to screen reaction mixtures, raw materials, intermediates, and product samples
- Accelerating Rate Calorimeters (ARC), including the ability to determine vent sizing capabilities, the effect of mixing and different materials of construction, and the consequence of uncontrolled additions, all from temperatures as low as -40°C
- Mettler RC1s, including one with low temperature capabilities down to -70°C
- Thermogravimetric analysis to assess material thermal stability and portion of volatile components
- Thermal mass flow meters to measure gas evolution from reaction systems
- A micro calorimeter for small scale evaluations
- Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) apparatus for assessment of dust explosion potential
- 20L sphere apparatus for measurement of explosion severity and limiting oxygen determination, as well as measuring gas and vapor phase explosions
- Volume resistivity to measure the tendency of powders to dissipate any accumulated charge
- Charge decay time apparatus for measurement of time required for applied charge to dissipate from the surface of a solid Read less
Key Benefits
Our integrated, comprehensive approach to hazard evaluation delivers several key advantages for our customers. These include:
Continuity:
Our world-class facilities and wide range of specialised equipment enable us to carry out hazard evaluation in-house throughout the product life cycle.
Integration:
With close collaboration between our hazard evaluation, chemistry, and engineering teams, we develop a tailored approach for each programme to ensure safety at every stage.
Expertise:
Our hazardous evaluation methodology is rooted in more than 50 years of experience, enabling us to support even the most hazardous materials.
Leaders in handling hazardous chemistry
Our comprehensive approach to hazard evaluation is supported by our expertise in hazardous chemistry. ... Read more
We have experience handling a wide range of hazardous processes in our customers’ projects, enabling us to develop a tailored, integrated approach to each programme that maximises safety while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Our hazardous chemistry capabilities enable us to support projects involving fluorination, diazomethane, nitration, and moreRead less
“We see hazard evaluation as a critical part of every customer’s project at Sterling. We want to ensure that we only use hazardous processes when they are absolutely necessary, and we take sufficient measures to mitigate risk when they are. Our comprehensive approach enables us to safely scale up a wide range of hazardous reactions in our customers’ projects to maximise their success.
” Paul Fenwick | Hazard Evaluation Manager
