RedGuard Blog

Learn about blast-resistant modular buildings from the industry’s safety authority – RedGuard. Get news, articles and product information.

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Custom Buildings | Petrochemical Industry

In hazardous work environments, we know that safety is always top priority. However, it is also crucial to create a positive work environment for on-site team members. A positive, inviting workspace isn't just a luxury—it's a catalyst for happier, more productive teams. At RedGuard, we believe that safety doesn’t have to compromise comfort. That’s why SafetySuite, our line of completely custom steel, blast-resistant modular buildings, includes options for all interior and exterior finishes, allowing you to provide your team with a safe and comfortable environment. For a detailed look at all of our customization options, from safety to functionality and design, check out our Guide to RedGuard's Features, Add-Ons, & Customizations. Now, let's dive into SafetySuite's design options, which allow you to craft an environment that seamlessly blends safety, functionality, and comfort.

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Safety & Regulations | Design & Engineering | Petrochemical Industry

Engineering firms offer crucial insights to both the blast-resistant building (BRB) industry and the oil and gas sector, ensuring the safety of workers in hazardous environments and supporting vital functions like facility siting studies (FSSs) and quality risk assessments (QRAs). These engineering firms provide a wide range of consulting services to enhance overall industry safety. With cutting-edge tech and innovative solutions, these are the top firms in 2023 that led the way, providing assessments of hazards on oil and gas sites and evaluating blast-resistant design.

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Articles | Best Practices | Custom Buildings

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.

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Safety & Regulations | Blast Resistant Buildings | Hazard Protection

Toxic Gas Protection in Specialized Modular Buildings

October 20th, 2023   |   15 min. read

In the world of high-risk workplaces, such as petrochemical facilities, one thing takes precedence above all else: the safety and well-being of the individuals within. The focus here is on hazardous gases—these are the invisible threats that can have severe health consequences when breathed in. We’ll explore the layers of protection in RedGuard's specialized modular buildings that keep workers safe.

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Design & Engineering | Hazard Protection

Ensuring the safety of your employees is crucial. Regulations and safety measures have been established so that we can prioritize their well-being. In hazardous areas, fire can pose a significant threat to both your personnel and property. In an event resulting in an explosion or fire, it is essential to have full confidence that your team will be fully protected with the most effective tools available. At RedGuard, we take great pride in our steel blast resistant buildings, which are available at protection levels up to 15 psi. They serve as robust safeguards for both lives and assets. Today, we will address a very important question: How do our buildings withstand fire?

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Best Practices | Design & Engineering | Custom Buildings | Blast Resistant Buildings | Hazard Protection

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.

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Articles

The Industry’s Top BRB Providers - 2023

October 11th, 2023   |   3 min. read

This list was originally published in 2018, but has been updated in 2023 to reflect changes in the industry. Every day, our RedGuard sales directors are out in the field, meeting with customers and potential customers about blast-resistant buildings. With potentially hundreds of meetings a year, our team, comprised of seasoned oil and gas professionals and subject matter experts, takes the time to understand needs, deliver informative "lunch and learn" presentations, and actively listen to the concerns of our valued stakeholders.

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Safety and Regulations

This article was originally published in the September/October 2023 issue of BIC Magazine. It was written by RedGuard's Sales Support Specialist, Lorna Geist.

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Design & Engineering | Custom Buildings | Culture

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.

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Blast Resistant Buildings | Hazard Protection | Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy Trends in 2023

June 9th, 2023   |  

Renewable energy sources help cut carbon emissions, lower energy costs, and mitigate some of the risks of climate change. Still, the cost of developing new infrastructure for renewable energy can be high since it requires a significant up-front investment in the face of lower fossil fuel prices. But now that countries and investors understand more about the long-term payoffs, the renewable energy business is growing worldwide.

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Blast Resistant Buildings | Hazard Protection | Renewable Energy

Global decarbonization goals call for expanding green energy from renewable resources such as animal byproducts, upcycled wood, wind, water, and sunlight. The renewable energy industry is growing rapidly, and with it comes the development of more energy facilities. However, while industry safety requirements exist, companies must also hold themselves responsible for ensuring their worker’s safety.

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Best Practices | Custom Buildings | Design and Engineering | Blast Resistant Buildings

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.

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Best Practices | Regulations | Safety and Regulations | Hazard Protection | Petrochemical Industry

This article was created for and originally published for the May/June 2023 issue of BIC Magazine. It is republished here in its entirety.

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Best Practices | Design and Engineering | Blast Resistant Buildings | Hazard Protection

Building blast-resistant structures is an incredibly complex and challenging process. From designing and engineering the structure to sourcing materials and getting regulatory approvals, many steps require precision and attention to detail. That’s why it’s essential to get it right the first time. Whether you’re a contractor, project manager, or end-user, any mistakes made during the process can have serious consequences, including project delays, safety risks, and increased costs.

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Best Practices | Design and Engineering | Safety and Regulations

At RedGuard, we take safety seriously. It’s present and top-of-mind in everything we do. This includes the obvious things, like wearing PPE to protect ourselves while on the job, and the less apparent practices, like inviting team members to share stories about when they had (or observed) a safety-related near-miss that we can all learn from. It also includes safety practices that foster communication and thinking about your habits. Those are among the things we do every day to ensure safety. Safety is also of obvious importance in our products and services.

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Design | Custom Buildings | Renewable Energy

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.

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Leasing | Safety and Regulations | Hazard Protection | Planning

A tragedy occurred in the early spring of 2005 at a refinery in Texas City, Texas. Today marks the 17th year since a series of explosions killed 15 workers and injured nearly 200 more.

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Articles | Best Practices

This blog was originally published March 8, 2021. This is a quickly emerging and growing market, so updates will be made periodically to reflect current facts and additional products. RedGuard has had the good fortune to work in most of the major refineries and petrochemical plants in North America and internationally. We have appreciated doing our part to protect the lives of the workforce in these facilities.

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Best Practices | Service & Maintenance

Imagine working in a warehouse with a high volume of daily foot traffic. There are always people on the move, and projects to finish. There are occasional mishaps, materials get spilled, and they get cleaned up quickly (and lightly) because you're in the middle of a big project. You assume that regular maintenance will pick up anything you leave behind later. That is... if there is regular maintenance. Unfortunately, if the floors are not properly maintained, it might not end well. The floor's surface could become slippery, cluttered, or uneven, creating a dangerous environment for workers. Properly maintained floors are important to the safety, protection, and health of your staff.

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Design & Engineering | Hazard Protection

*This article was prepared for publication in the March/April 2023 issue of BIC Magazine.

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Design & Engineering

This article was originally published in the January/February 2023 issue of BIC Magazine and was edited to fit in the space provided. It is re-published here in its entirety. We have to look at a few facts to answer the titular question: Can a shipping container be converted to a blast proof building?

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Service & Maintenance | Field Service

When it comes to weight, the doors on a blast resistant modular building (BRM or BRB) tip the scales around 600 pounds. When they are on customer sites like refineries, nitrogen or olefin plants, or other hazardous sites where blasts could occur, they receive more wear and tear than their occupants may realize. The weight of the doors and the number of times they are opened and closed during a 12-hour shift impact the amount of routine maintenance that should be given to them. For example:

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Articles | News

For Immediate Release Wichita, KS – RedGuard, the leading producer of modular, steel, blast-resistant buildings for the oil and gas industry, closed on the acquisition of Civeo Offshore, LLC on November 1, 2022. The company specializes in workforce accommodation structures for use on offshore platforms, vessels, and barges.

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Petrochemical Industry | Petrochemical Industry Explosions

Explosions in the oil and gas industry are rare, but when they do occur, they can have devastating effects on workers and even nearby residents. These blasts can cause burns and shockwave injuries that cause internal damage, head injuries, and nerve damage. Also, flying debris following an explosion can cause severe lacerations and blunt-force trauma. Most workplace incidents at oil and gas refineries are caused by transportation and equipment accidents, followed by fires and explosions. The vast majority of blasts on oil and gas worksites are preventable, particularly when facilities managers uphold OSHA safety regulations. Below, we'll examine some of the causes and how to avoid them so you can keep workers safe and avoid damage to people and property caused by blasts.

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Types of Buildings | Industries | Design and Engineering | Renewable Energy

If you’re thinking of buying an EV, or electric vehicle, for your business, you might think your days of filling up are over. Buying an EV ends your days of stopping at the gas station, but you will still need to “fill up” – now, with electricity. Some immediate questions come to mind.

Blog Feature

Hazard Protection

In certain industries, the use and handling of hazardous materials is commonplace, even if few people want to think about hazardous chemicals and their use in manufacturing everyday products. Those in manufacturing or refining understand the importance of these materials and the role they play in helping make our lives, in many ways, and in many industries, easier.

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Best Practices | Safety and Regulations | Hazard Protection Protocols

The best way for companies to ensure worker safety and prevent accidents is to identify and control hazards on worksites. However, not all accidents can be predicted and prevented. In those cases, the best employers put in place protective mechanisms to keep people safe when the worst occurs. For example, to prevent injuries from worksite explosions, some hazardous sites have their team working in blast resistant buildings to avoid injuries and flying debris if a blast were to occur.

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Best Practices | Safety and Regulations | Petrochemical Industry Explosions

Performing a real-world blast test on a blast resistant building is one of the best ways to alleviate concerns about how a structure will react to a real disaster. No computer model can compare to seeing a building survive a blast with your own eyes.

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Best Practices | Safety and Regulations | Hazard Protection Protocols | OSHA PHA | Site Inspection

Protecting employees from workplace hazards requires formal control mechanisms and detailed planning. The most effective way to accomplish this is to use a "hierarchy of controls," a step-by-step process that allows safety managers to choose all the relevant tools needed to eliminate hazards or protect employees from dangers.

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Service & Maintenance | Blast Resistant Buildings

The great thing about blast-resistant buildings is that they are almost maintenance-free. However, at RedGuard, we are the first to admit that “almost” maintenance-free does not mean maintenance-free. One area that DOES require regular maintenance, as in any building, is the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, or HVAC system.

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Best Practices | Problems | Safety and Regulations

The Great Resignation is the term that has been applied to the economic trend of members of the workforce voluntarily resigning from their jobs in large numbers. It started during the pandemic in early 2021 and continued into 2022.

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Articles | Best Practices

This article was originally published in the September/October 2022 issue of BIC Magazine. Sometimes changes are made for length, or to reflect the publication's style guidelines. It is re-published here in its entirety.

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Quality | Best Practices | Custom Buildings | Design and Engineering | Blast Resistant Buildings | Installation Process

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?”

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Safety & Regulations | Hazard Protection Protocols | Hazard Protection | Petrochemical Industry | Petrochemical Industry Explosions

How Likely Are Explosions in the Petrochemical Industry?

September 1st, 2022   |   3 min. read

Safety of the Employees and Equipment Workers in the petrochemical industry are subject to numerous risks, including chemical leaks, fires, and explosions. These are in addition to the risks common throughout the manufacturing industry, such as machinery malfunctions and falls.

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Best Practices | Safety and Regulations

One of the most devastating petrochemical plant explosions in U.S. history occurred in 1989 when a petrochemical complex experienced a polyethylene leak, resulting in a flammable vapor cloud. Sometime after lunch, the cloud was ignited, causing a series of explosions and fires that killed 23 workers and injured over 130 more.

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Best Practices | Safety and Regulations | Hazard Protection Protocols | OSHA PHA | Site Inspection

Protecting workers from on-site hazards is a complex task. However, soliciting hazard protection analyses and addressing as many risks as possible can protect workers, prevent fines, and improve a company’s reputation.

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Safety and Regulations | Culture

Having a safety culture isn't about just "talking the talk." You've got to "walk the walk" too. If you spend any amount of time at RedGuard, you'll quickly learn that our safety culture comes with practice. We support our belief in the importance of safe practices not just by what we say, but also in what we do.

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Safety & Regulations | Design & Engineering

The Benefits of RedGuard's Installation Process

July 18th, 2022   |   3 min. read

A blast-resistant building can be a state-of-the-art facility with all the bells and whistles needed to keep your team and worksite safe. Expert building installation is a critical part of the planning and investment process. You may be surprised to learn that there is a myriad of safety and construction benefits to having your blast-resistant building developed and manufactured off-site before installation. Below, we'll look at why RedGuard's installation process is the most convenient and the safest for your workers in the long and short term.

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Design & Engineering

What is Blast Resistant Glass?

July 15th, 2022   |  

Blast resistant glass (sometimes called explosion proof glass) is made up of materials that allow it to have the strength and plasticity to absorb much of the pressure of an explosion. In a blast resistant building, it’s just as crucial for doors and windows (which may contain glass) to be made of blast resistant materials as it is for the rest of the structure.

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Design & Engineering | Safety and Regulations

Blast-resistant modular buildings are designed to help prevent devastating damage to people and property in the wake of an explosion. Ideally, these buildings are strong enough to withstand ground motion, surface bursts, and compression from shock waves without collapsing or creating any flying debris that could harm bystanders.

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Design & Engineering | Safety and Regulations

Are Iron Doors Blast Proof?

June 30th, 2022   |  

Blast proof doors are designed to resist explosive blasts and protect people and property from the damage from blast waves, including flying fragments, fire, and toxic fumes. Since we can’t entirely eliminate the threat of explosions on worksites, it’s crucial to ensure buildings and their windows, roofs, and doors can withstand blasts.

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Articles | News | Service & Maintenance

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (June 13, 2022) – RedGuard, a producer of blast-resistant modules for the petrochemical and chemical industries, has expanded its service capabilities with a three-year master service agreement with Nomodic. This agreement makes Nomodic the preferred service and maintenance partner for RedGuard’s blast-resistant buildings on Canadian worksites.

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Articles | Types of Buildings | Threat Protection Types

When it comes to protection in the form of buildings, there are a few levels of protection that can be observed. For this blog post, we will focus on three building types: general protective structures, buildings that offer blast protection, and buildings that offer hazard protection.

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Design & Engineering | Industries

Petrochemical facilities produce chemicals and derivatives used in a wide range of products, as varied as medical devices and cosmetics. Using heat, pressure, and other engineering techniques, workers turn crude oil and natural gas into six primary petrochemicals – acetylene, benzene, methane, ethane, propane, and hydrogen.

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Articles | Service & Maintenance

This article was originally published in the March/April 2022 issue of BIC magazine. The author, Chris Priddy, is RedGuard's director of sales in the Gulf Coast Region. In recent years at RedGuard, we have experienced great success placing blast-resistant buildings on oil and gas worksites. As a result, we are proud to have added many new clients and seen a significant number of returning clients. It’s important for us to understand what has driven this growth. We have identified two differentiating factors. The first is our product lines. There is LeaseFleet, North America’s largest fleet of leasable blast-resistant buildings, and SafetySuite, our line of premium, suite-quality custom blast-resistant buildings. The second differentiating factor is that combined with this selection, we focus on impeccable customer service. When customers reach out to RedGuard, they are counseled on our product line by true subject matter experts who have an expansive knowledge of blast-resistant buildings. With the most tenured sales team in the industry, our team can help you find the perfect solution for your blast-resistant needs. In addition, we will answer any questions you may have regarding blast-resistant buildings or direct you to our online learning center, which is chock full of blog posts, videos, floor plans and collateral. Our fleet of blast-resistant buildings allows us to handle some of the largest projects in the industry. With multiple production centers around the globe, we can take on any blast-resistant need that may arise for a custom-designed and engineered blast-resistant building. At RedGuard, we take great pride in maintaining a positive culture and ensuring that we have the right professionals in all departments. When you are working with someone in our sales, service, logistics or accounting, you are dealing with a professional who understands and puts a premium on ensuring customer satisfaction is first and foremost. RedGuard consistently works to ensure clients have a positive experience. You can count on us to meet all delivery deadlines that are mutually agreed upon. RedGuard does not believe in painting a fictional picture of its capabilities in order to win an opportunity. When working with a client for the first time, we work diligently to make sure that it will be a positive working experience. The goal is to begin a long-term working relationship, based on delivering a product line that meets or exceeds the client’s expectations. We maintain a tight grip on the logistical scheduling that is imperative to our clients. Once the client is in the field utilizing our blast-resistant buildings, our service department will be focused on making sure that all issues the customer might experience will be addressed and rectified quickly. We want to ensure that our clients have little to no inconvenience while in the middle of a turnaround or outage. We understand that the kinds of projects we deliver are essential to maintaining successful operations within a facility. Therefore, when installing a custom blast-resistant building from RedGuard, you can count on a very polished experience with our service team during the installation and commissioning of your permanent blast-resistant structures and during their use in the field. In our accounting department, we take great pride in making sure that it is easy to do business with RedGuard. We want to ensure clients have pleasant and smooth transactions from the beginning and throughout the completion of any project. Efficient accounting practices ensure the client has little to no inconveniences throughout the term of any project and will be able to close out their job with peace of mind knowing that nothing has been left hanging in the balance. In addition, when working with our accounting department, you’ll find eager and friendly customer support agents willing to answer and settle any invoicing items that need to be attended to. It’s these fundamental principles that we at RedGuard hold dear and sacred to maintaining our industry-leading product and service lines. Please do not hesitate to reach out to RedGuard with any upcoming needs for blast-resistant buildings. For more information about blast-resistant buildings, visit us online or call (855) 733-4827.

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Articles | Design & Engineering

This article, How to Stage a Blast Resistant Building, was originally published on our blog in its entirety in October 2021. This version was shortened for publication in the March/April 2022 issue of BIC magazine. Suppose you've researched different kinds of blast-resistant structures, like steel blast-resistant buildings, modular concrete blast-resistant buildings, or even blast-resistant tents or air shelters.

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Design & Engineering | Popular

The Compressive Strength of Steel

April 29th, 2022   |  

What is compressive strength? Compressive strength is a material’s capacity to withstand the pressure of a force that pushes, squeezes, or compresses it. If a building has a low compressive strength, it is more likely to buckle and fail under pressure. That's why it’s crucial to ensure a blast resistant building is made of a material with high compressive strength, like steel.

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Design & Engineering | Terminology

When you think of the word flex, a few things probably come to mind. One of the most recent entries into the world of pop culture is, “Weird flex, but ok” - a mocking phrase often given in response to a person who brags about something unusual.

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Quality | Best Practices | Custom Buildings | Blast Resistant Buildings | Planning

When a Vendor Over Promises During An RFP

March 7th, 2022   |   6 min. read

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.

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Best Practices | Custom Buildings | Design and Engineering | Blast Resistant Buildings | Installation Process | Planning

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.

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Best Practices | Custom Buildings

Getting the Most Out of an RFP for a Blast-Resistant Building

February 17th, 2022   |   9 min. read

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.

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Terminology | Threat Protection Types | Industries | Design and Engineering | Safety and Regulations | Blast Resistant Buildings

What Is The Purpose of a Blast Wall?

January 18th, 2022   |  

When it comes to blast resistance, there are a few options, depending on the situation. At RedGuard, we design blast-resistant buildings to protect building occupants and equipment in high-hazard areas from the damaging effects of explosions.

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Articles | News | Popular

This press release was sent on January 11, 2022 on behalf of RedGuard. It has been updated with the company's current offerings for chemical storage buildings in 2023.

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Articles | Design & Engineering | Popular

What Is Blast Loading?

January 5th, 2022   |  

Blast loads are something we talk about at RedGuard. We write about their effects and protecting yourself and your team from the damage they cause. The term likely comes up more in our industry than in the course of normal conversations. At RedGuard, our business is safety; and explosions and the blast loads that come with them can be deadly. It’s our job to help people survive the destruction caused by high blast loads.

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Safety & Regulations | Design & Engineering

Dealing with moisture is inevitable in most places. Humidity and rain can cause condensation inside and outside buildings, allowing moisture to seep up from the ground. Moisture can come from leaky fixtures or overzealous HVAC units, even in dry areas.

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Design & Engineering

Misconceptions About the Turnkey Blast Resistant Building

December 17th, 2021   |   5 min. read

A turnkey blast-resistant building is pre-constructed and sold to buyers without the need for further customization. Of course, the opportunity for modifications still exists, but the idea is that you can just turn the key to unlock the door and start using your building. For many job sites, turnkey buildings may seem like the ultimate convenience, especially if you need a temporary structure. They are constructed off-site, so installing them on your job site is a quick and straightforward process. However, the questions remain: Are these buildings too good to be true? What are the risks involved?

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Best Practices | Custom Buildings | Regulations | Types of Buildings | Design and Engineering | Safety and Regulations | Petrochemical Industry

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.

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Design & Engineering

Choosing the Safest Materials for Hydrogen Operations

November 30th, 2021   |   5 min. read

Interest and demand in the hydrogen industry are both on the upswing. In 2020, energy companies produced roughly 50 million tons of hydrogen, and it's estimated that by the year 2050, production could increase to 500 million tons. Currently, there is around $80 billion invested in the industry, so those looking to tap into its potential will need to find safe ways to process, transport, and store it. That's where steel blast-resistant buildings come in – they are strong and portable enough to adapt to emerging and fast-paced needs.

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Articles

What Does Durability Mean for Safety & Steel Structures?

November 29th, 2021   |   6 min. read

If you’re looking for optimal safety, design flexibility, resilience, and performance in building material, you can’t do better than steel. Not only does it stand up to natural and man-made disasters, but it helps keep people on your worksite safe, allowing site managers the peace of mind to know that they’ve created the most durable environment possible.

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Design & Engineering

This article was adapted to be printed in the November/December 2021 issue of BIC Magazine, where it was edited for length and relevance. You can read the original comparison of blast resistant buildings and shipping containers on our blog, or proceed with the BIC article below. For many years, RedGuard claimed to be the only manufacturer of blast-resistant buildings to test and make the data in its blast tests readily available. Since then, some companies have followed suit, even publishing videos showing their buildings’ response. One competitor shows its design’s performance, but also illustrates a high-level blast impacting what appears to be a steel shipping container. What is the implication of that comparison? It is important to point out, in no uncertain terms, that a steel shipping container is not a blast-resistant building. While the appearance may be similar, the differences between a shipping container and a blast-resistant building are significant. RedGuard has been developing blast-resistant buildings since 2005, when an oil refinery accident killed 15 people and injured nearly 200 more. At the time, RedGuard (then known as ABox4U) leased and sold shipping containers for use as storage boxes on refineries, construction sites and other hazardous worksites. Engineers who investigated that accident observed that portable trailers used as offices and break rooms were decimated during the blast, while steel shipping containers that stored tools and equipment mainly appeared unharmed. Conversations started behind the scenes, and RedGuard’s founder saw an industry need to fill. Because of this history, many people assume that a steel blast-resistant building is nothing more than a shipping container. That is far from the reality. Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences. Shipping container similarities Shipping containers are made to haul goods across the ocean and, once they reach port, by railcar or semi-truck. They are designed to be used for around 15 years. However, some last as many as 30 years, with people finding alternative uses for them after their use for shipping goods worldwide ends. Shipping containers are built ruggedly. To survive many years of salty ocean spray, heavy rain, wind, hurricanes and a lot of rough handling, most are made with steel walls welded to a steel frame. They have a closed top and doors that swing open on either end. For some of these same reasons, RedGuard’s designers began with steel when designing its first blast-resistant buildings. Because of their use across ships, trains and trucks, shipping containers must conform to ISO standards. They come in standard shapes and sizes, and can be moved using the same equipment. Blast-resistant buildings also make use of these same standards to ease their transport. So, yes, it’s fair to point out that there are a few similarities, but the differences are key. Blast-resistant building differences In designing RedGuard’s blast-resistant buildings, its engineers began with a steel frame, but unlike a standard container, they added closely spaced vertical and horizontal stiffeners. The frame acts as a “rib cage” of sorts. The ribs of the human body, closely spaced in the same way, protect the body’s internal organs. The ribs compress to protect the body, the same way the steel frame of a blast-resistant building will. In industry, this is called “dynamic load transfer” or “flex.” Talking about flex can be controversial in the blast-resistant building industry. Too much flex could be bad. That’s why RedGuard buildings are designed to minimally flex, allowing for much less deformation when compared to shipping containers or other steel blast-resistant buildings on the market. And it’s no theory: RedGuard has tested its designs to demonstrate that they provide a safe environment for occupants. Next, RedGuard uses steel sheeting, either corrugated steel walls or flat plate, welded to the frame. Shipping containers may have steel walls, and they may be rugged, but they aren’t tested for their ability to withstand a blast. Blast-resistant buildings also have engineered steel blast-resistant doors — and possibly windows, depending on how the building will be used. In contrast, shipping containers do not use blast-resistant doors or windows. Individually, the doors and windows of a blast-resistant building must be as strong as the structure itself to protect the integrity of the building’s blast-resistant envelope. RedGuard’s building design uses structural redundancy to ensure protection so the failure of one element will not cause the failure of the whole structure. The same is not true of a shipping container. Another big difference from a shipping container is the blast-resistant structure’s interior. Everything placed inside the building, like floor and ceiling tiles, electrical or plumbing components, furniture, wall coverings, etc. has to be scrutinized for its performance. This isn’t necessary in a standard shipping container. When you think of shipping containers, remember that while the humble beginnings of steel blast-resistant buildings may have started there, today they are but distant cousins. For more information about blast resistant buildings, visit us online or call (316) 554-9000.