Are insulin pumps intrinsic

Bamboo

Newbie
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3
I have been happily attached to a Minimed 508 for 7 years.

I went to Oil refinery the other day for a job interview. Mobile phones are not allowed on site and have to be checked in at reception. On hearing this I decided to remove my pump.

Does anyone have advice on the Intrinsic nature of Insulin pumps i.e are insulin pumps intrinsic? Is the Minimed 508 intrinsic? By the data sheet for the pump the explosion test hasn't been done! Are they any Insulin pumps on the market that have been classed as Intrinsically safe?

Intrinsically safe as I undestand it is that the pump will not cause a spark that could leed to a explosion!

My actual hunch is that some testing must have been carried out on this otherwise we would be asked to remove the pump or a mobile phone before filling up the car at the petrol station.

Also if anyone wears a pump and works on a Oil refinery and has any experience of the issues I raise please pass on your advice.

Best wishes Bamboo
 

kegstore

Well-Known Member
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I know they can be next to useless (IME) but have you tried calling the Medtronic helpline for advice? The number is 01923 205142 (M-F 9-5) or 01223 577379 (24/7).

As you know it's OK to remove a pump for up to around 2 hours, but I doubt you'd manage an entire shift, especially if a meal is involved!
 

Bamboo

Newbie
Messages
3
Hi

Thanks

I have already contacted Medtronic. They helpfully emailed me a Interference test sheet which stated the Explosive test hadn't been done! Now to me that's worrying to say the least and somewhat dangerous considering you could be stood next to a pump full of Petrol. If it could be classed as dangerous on a Refinery then surely it could be classed as dangerous on a forecourt. Tho saying that I've never heard of a mobile phone causing a explosion at a Petrol station either.

I have since spoke to Medtronic and they are endeavoring to find out. It has been a few days so maybe they just don't know. I'm hoping through this forum maybe someone will have knowledge of this.

I know it's not a rather odd request for infomation. My pump specialist was baffled too.
 

Trinkwasser

Well-Known Member
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2,468
You may find they won;t let you onsite with it anyway.

I used to deliver to oil refineries, gas storage depots etc. and always dropped my lighter etc. at the security hut. One time I left a spare pouch of tobacco in my cab and the security guard went completely mental. I tried to point out to him that I had no way of rolling a cigarette with it let alone lighting it as I had handed in my rizlas and lighter but he was having none of it. Rules Is Rules.

(I also used to deliver to the Royal Mint, you have to hand over all your money to security and hope they give you the same amount back)
 

Aadrgon

Well-Known Member
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670
Trinkwasser said:
(I also used to deliver to the Royal Mint, you have to hand over all your money to security and hope they give you the same amount back)

When I was young I used to believe my dad worked at the royal mint -turned out he worked for Ever Ready in the metal pressing shop turning out the disks for batteries :)
 

sugar2

Well-Known Member
Messages
833
Intrinsic safety is a diificult one as the pump will be approved and have gained CE mark under the medical directive, and not under the ATEX directive. It is very unlikely that they have tested for this. I don't think that there would be any pproblem, but it is all down o the hardware in the device.
Some sites, such as oil refineries insist on intrinscially safe devices..and for safety reasons (understandably). I had never thought aboutthis. If it is an issue, I would go back to the manufacturere, and ask if they can commision some testing. SIRA wwould be able to do thetesting for them I believe.
 

Trinkwasser

Well-Known Member
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2,468
Aadrgon said:
Trinkwasser said:
(I also used to deliver to the Royal Mint, you have to hand over all your money to security and hope they give you the same amount back)

When I was young I used to believe my dad worked at the royal mint -turned out he worked for Ever Ready in the metal pressing shop turning out the disks for batteries :)

<G>

I'm a tad annoyed. They seem to keep changing the design of the money around so some of the real coins look like foreign ones. The other day someone actually slipped me a foreign coin in my change and I never noticed - until I tried to spend it :(

In my day the Royal Mint was in Wales, Tonypandy or Tonyrefail or somewhere. I suspect Charles threatened to keep all the money unless Mummy let him marry Camilla . . . of course it may now have been outsourced to Mumbai
 

Trinkwasser

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2,468
sugarless sue said:
Errr can we get back on topic here please? :D

Sorry Ma'am!

I guess the answer is, we don't know. Things like trucks can be modified to agreed standards for tanker work but there are a relatively large number of them. It may be the question has arisen so seldom that the pump manufacturers have never bothered to find out. And the point I was making is, even if something has been guaranteed safe doesn't necessarily mean a security guard (or a manager) will agree.