Econo-Gard® Safety Shields

Because of the apparent need for an economical but dependable safety shield, RAMCO® developed the Econo-Gard® Safety Shield. Great attention has been paid to its design to ensure that its economic features have not been achieved at the expense of safety. The modest price of this shield is possible because its fabrication utilizes non-labor intensive heat sealing methods.

Econo-Gard® Safety Shields are available in two thermoplastic materials:

polyethylene (PE)
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (white, red and clear)

While each of the Econo-Gard® Safety Shields has slightly different characteristics, depending on the materials from which they are fabricated, both are manufactured with the same design and feature identical configurations.

The conditions under which Econo-Gard® Safety Shields may be used are limited. They are suitable for temperatures up to 140°F (60°C) and in the presence of certain chemicals, such as concentrated acids, only at lower temperatures. However, they have wide applications, particularly in conditions with ambient temperatures and pressures of 300 psi (21 bar) or lower.

Similar to Spra-Gard® Shields, Econo-Gard® Safety Shields also wrap-around. Produced from special thermoplastic materials according to RAMCO® specifications, these shields are a three-ply lamination with an inner core of non-woven spun cloth interfaced between two sheets of either PE or PVC. Consequently, a sprayout is prevented by six layers. Four layers, consisting of PE or PVC film, are chemically resistant; the remaining two of non-woven spun cloth provide tensile and burst strength.

Indicating pH patches to signal leaks are also incorporated in Econo-Gard® Safety Shields. Several weep holes behind the patch allow a slight flow of chemical to the indicator which then undergoes color change, alerting plant personnel to the presence of a leak.

The clear PVC Econo-Gard® Safety Shields have the same high quality characteristics of the Econo-Gard® Safety Shields with the added benefit of a “See--Thru” feature, permitting easy visual inspection of pipe joint – flanges, valves and threaded connections. Because of the “See-Thru” feature of this shield, an indicating pH patch is not needed.

Subjected to UV testing, Econo-Gard® Safety Shields withstood approximately 430 hours of testing, and at that time demonstrated slight blistering.This period is equivalent to approximately eight to nine years of outdoor exposure in a temperate climate. Consequently, both PE and PVC Econo-Gard® Safety Shields may be installed either indoors or outdoors.

Econo-Gard® Safety Shields are appropriate for installation in chemical processing industries in which less hazardous chemicals at low temperatures and pressures are utilized. Food processing and waste water treatment facilities are typical applications for these shields. Phosphate mining is a specific application for PE Shields, and seawater desalination plants are high users of PVC Shields.