Articles from December 20, 2021

Why water sanitisation is so important for good health outcomes

We often take our access to clean water and effective sanitisation for granted. Well, until we have a problem with our drains that requires the need for Drain Lining from companies like https://www.wilkinson-env.co.uk/sewer-repairs-drain-lining-concrete-cutting/drain-lining/. But in some areas of the world, there is a lack of access to both clean flowing water and to effective drainage systems that allow for waste to be taken away from homes and communities and processed to make it safe. In some cases flooding causes more of the contaminated water to flood into the homes of those within the community and causes a massive infection risk. Although flooding also causes problems in the Western world this is much more likely to be distribution to our travel rather than to our immediate health.

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It is thought that 780 million people across the world do not have access to clean water on a regular basis and in some cases people have to walk for miles in order to get water from wells that have been set up for the community by some of the many charities that are working to get access to water for all. Even more people, around 2.4 billion, do not have adequate sanitisation that allows for their waste products to be removed effectively and for hygienic measures such as hand washing to be as effective as possible. This is a problem on a daily basis for many people and the current pandemic has highlighted the issue even further.

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When there is a lack of access to appropriate sanitisation this often leads to waste entering water systems and this then carries the risk of diseases such as dysentery and cholera entering the water sources and transmitting through communities.

As well as it showing an uneven distribution of key healthcare needs and basic support for those people living with unsanitary conditions it also has an impact on their overall health and in some cases their future prospects. It has been reported that for teenage girls in particular there is a high level of absence from school related to inadequate sanitisation. There are also thought to be nearly a billion people infected by parasites that are linked to contaminated water sources.

In a world where currently it is incredibly important that we all have access to clean water sources to enable us to wash our hands repeatedly throughout the day as well as access to nutritious food to boost our immune systems the figures mentioned above help to demonstrate that there is still a lot of work to be done to help support vulnerable communities.

How to Help Your Business Stand Out From the Crowd

There are several ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. The first is to be unique and creative. You may want to offer seasonal promotions, or you may want to run a campaign around a lesser-known date, event or product. For example, choosing a national day to get extra focus on a product or hold a Get to Know Your Customers Day are perfect opportunities to advertise your products or services. In any case, be creative and stick to your mission.

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How to Forecast the Financial Health of Your Business

In today’s competitive environment, accurate financial data is imperative for the health of your business. Even if you’re not expanding, accurate financial data is still useful to manage the business. A cash flow forecast is an essential component of any financial plan. The report will provide a visual representation of the business’s financial health. This way, you can understand how the business is doing and what changes may be needed to further expand or to cut back.

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Rubber for the gas and oil industries

Rubber parts are manufactured for many industries but one of the largest is the oil and gas industry. Just some of the parts required by these industries include things like gaskets, O rings, valves and diaphragms, for example. These parts can be made from a wide range of different polymers, all with individual properties and manufactured using a number of different moulding processes. Find out more about UK Rubber Moulding from a site such as https://www.meadex.co.uk/rubber-moulding/

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The different sectors of this industry that require rubber components include oil and gas exploration, pipelines, production, storage and petrochemical plant operations. Parts can be required for a vast array of processes such as drilling, wellheads, processing and distribution. These parts could include:

  • Gaskets needed for pumps, turbines, compressors and valves
  • O-rings to be used for wells, drilling and distribution
  • Valves for use anywhere there is a flow of gas or liquid through pipes
  • Regulator seats for use regulating high pressure applications and shut off processes
  • Diaphragms for pump flow control, both static and dynamic.

Rubber comes in a variety of properties that can be adjusted to suit particular applications. Some materials can be produced with a compound that makes it more fluid resistant, whereas another can be made to offer higher temperature strength. For the oil and gas industry, these materials must be tough as they are used in environments that can be both extreme and harsh. Some of the materials used include:

NBR or Nitrile – a general purpose rubber that can come with low temperature resistance

HNBR – Ideal for explosive or decompression applications and has high resistance to heat, chemicals and abrasion

FKM or fluoropolymer rubbers – good for applications where resistance to chemicals, ozone, weather, heat, oxygen and burning is required

FEPM – highly resistant to ammonia, organic substances, steam and heat applications

FFKM – resistant to almost all chemicals and can withstand very high temperatures

EPDM – highly durable, good for steam and outdoor applications but not for contact with petroleum.

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The ideal characteristics that rubber materials need for use in this industry include the following:

Compression – the ability to bounce back once a force of compression is removed

Abrasion – a material’s ability to withstand removal of surface from constant wear

Chemical resistance – to be able to withstand short or prolonged exposure to chemicals

Tear strength – the ability to resist being torn or cut in the direction of stress applied

Tensile strength – resistance to being stretched

Extrusion resistance – be able to withstand both high pressure and high temperature environments

Low friction – important for contact with rough materials

Corrosion resistance – the ability to withstand exposure to corrosive gases

Resilience – the ability to stand up to a range of different stressors

Temperature resistance – the ability to stay strong in extremes of temperatures both hot and cold

Elongation – the ability to be stretched without breakage occurring

As you can see, there are many different qualities that rubber may need to have in order to provide a tough component for harsh environments and prolonged use.