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1 Million Manhours

Otto Simon • October 26, 2021
Otto Simon celebrates passing over 1 million manhours without a RIDDOR reportable accident! 

Congratulations to our site teams for all their hard work. 

Health & Safety is core value for Otto Simon. We prioritise health and safety in the workplace and never compromise on the safety of our workforce or the public. We believe that Health & Safety at work is a fundamental right. 

Our continual improvement plan for HSEQ ensures that all projects are delivered to the highest HSEQ standard. For the past four years, OSL has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Award for our outstanding achievements in Health and Safety.
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By Clees April 3, 2025
Standards Development: PAS 4445:2025 for Hydrogen-Fired Equipment The future of energy is undeniably leaning towards hydrogen, a clean and versatile fuel poised to revolutionise industrial and commercial operations, which is required to take place within 25 years to meet the country’s net zero targets. Today, we are proud to celebrate both our contribution to, and the publication of, Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 4445:2025, hydrogen-fired equipment. The publication is a significant step forward in ensuring the safe and effective integration of hydrogen-fired equipment into industrial and commercial applications. This standard will play a crucial role in fostering confidence and driving innovation. Otto Simon’s Support: In early 2024, BSI invited Otto Simon Ltd. to provide expert technical representation on the Steering Group for the development of the fifth publication in the PAS series concerning hydrogen appliance/equipment fuel gas. This initiative builds upon the four preceding publications, which focused on the transition to hydrogen as a replacement for natural gas within the UK's domestic and small business sectors. The fifth publication, PAS 4445:2025, expands the scope to address the implementation of hydrogen in larger, more complex industrial applications, necessitating significant deviations from established domestic installation practices.  Mike Wray, Principal Mechanical Engineer at Otto Simon, joined the Steering Group, contributing alongside technical representatives from diverse industrial equipment suppliers, end-users, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Throughout the second half of 2024, the group convened to provide technical guidance and input into the publication's development. Mike Wray's expertise, gained from his involvement in the Keele University HyDeploy project plus numerous industrial fuel switching trials as part of the HyNet North West UK Hydrogen network and CCUS projects, proved to be invaluable. Under the proficient leadership of Beverley Goodchild (BSI), who effectively managed group discussions and maintained focus on achieving a successful outcome, the Steering Group finalized PAS 4445:2025, "Hydrogen fired equipment for use in industrial and commercial (non-domestic) settings – Code of Practice." This publication, released in late March 2025, aims to establish a robust technical framework for fuel gas users and equipment suppliers transitioning to low or zero-carbon fuel utilisation in their operational processes and system designs. Why PAS 4445:2025 is Significant: The use of hydrogen, while promising, requires meticulous handling and infrastructure. PAS 4445:2025 provides a comprehensive framework to: · Prioritise Safety: Establishing stringent safety protocols for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of hydrogen-fired equipment. · Optimise Efficiency: Promoting best practices to maximise the performance of hydrogen utilisation · Minimise Risks: Addressing potential hazards associated with hydrogen storage, handling, and combustion. · Standardise Practices: Providing clear and consistent guidelines for organisations across the hydrogen equipment value chain. · Enable Industry Growth: Fostering confidence and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen technologies. Who Will Benefit from PAS 4445:2025? This PAS is vital for a wide range of stakeholders, including: · Manufacturers of hydrogen-fired equipment. · Industrial and commercial users of hydrogen technologies. · Engineering and construction firms. · Safety and regulatory bodies. · Hydrogen infrastructure developers. · Insurance providers. By developing the guidelines in PAS 4445:2025, Otto Simon has further demonstrated its commitment to safety, its technical understanding and continuing contribution to the hydrogen economy.
By Clees February 26, 2025
At times it may feel as though there are far too many obstacles and barriers to overcome whilst attempting to get the most out of a tight capex budget. Increases in overheads, increased energy prices, changes in compliance requirements can all contribute to the headache that comes with providing effective engineering solutions in tough times. The margins achieved from selling your products could be the only thing which is decreasing. There’s no doubt that today more than ever it is imperative to get the best value for your money. Whilst it may be tempting to call in the big engineering contractors who can provide a one-stop-shop, convenience shopping is an expensive way of doing projects. Project success depends on getting things right. Everybody gets so easily engrossed in the day-to-day activities that they often do not invest enough time and effort into the fundamentals that will make or break a project’s success. Skimping at the concept stage and investing insufficient development into the scope, deliverables and stage gate estimates, are just some of the things that will usually result in ballooning costs and even bigger headaches . Otto Simon can help guide you to a successful conclusion. We can work with you to take the your concept through to a FEED, providing you with much needed cost certainty. No chemical manufacturer worth their salts wants to keep going back to their board asking for more money to complete what was a fully budgeted and financed project. Why Otto Simon? We have an unrivalled level of expertise and experience in eliminating unnecessary inefficiencies and superfluous costs by working with you using a skilled small team to develop your concept. This will save you money, and give you options about who or how or when the installation should be implemented. If you want to ease the pinch, please get in touch.
By Clees February 25, 2025
Otto Simon is proud to be able to report the successful trialling of hydrogen as a substitute fuel to natural gas at Novelis's Aluminium Recycling facility in Warrington. As part of the Industrial Fuel Switching programme, Otto Simon designed the hydrogen supply infrastructure and integrated this into the existing furnace working alongside Novelis's supply chain and the hydrogen supplier. Otto Simon managed the installation and commissioning of the facility and assisted the site team during the trials, another step along the road for industrial decarbonisation in the Northwest. This project builds upon Otto Simon's track record of hydrogen projects which includes trials in Glass Manufacture, Food and Ceramics as well as the pioneering HyDeploy project at Keele University.
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