Changing a valve or a flange is usually rife with risks. They’re heavy and often need to be held in awkward positions for a long time. This is a recipe for disaster. It’s also why James Courtenay invented the Flange Hanger.

Changing a valve? Flange Hanger has you covered!

Have you ever identified a hazard in a workplace, but were unable to find a readily available engineering solution? Most of the time we’re forced to look at either administrative controls or work practice changes to reduce an employee’s exposure to a hazard. Ergonomist always look an an engineering solution first. The Flange Hanger is just that. It eliminates the need to hold the flange in place, reducing strain on the body. At the Alberta Health & Safety Conference held this past October in Banff, I had the opportunity to meet James Courtenay, President of Flange Hanger. Prior to his current role, Courtenay owned a maintenance and construction company that served the oil field, specifically providing maintenance and operating equipment for 14 years. Over his career, Courtenay has injured his back more than once. One of the factors? Changing flanges and valves. Quite often the valve is heavy and needs to be held in an awkward position (high or low to the ground) for an extended period while the bolts are put in place. These issues fall squarely within the primary risk factors for manual material handling: high forces, awkward posture and prolonged duration. After years of unsuccessfully sourcing a solution, Courtenay decided to invent his own. As the proverb says, “Necessity is the mother of invention”! The Flange Hanger comes in a variety of sizes from 2” to 6”. It is held in place with two non-threaded bolts and a thumbscrew. Once the second flange (or valve) has been secured in place with a sufficient number of bolts, the Flange Hanger can be removed, allowing the final bolts to be put in place. It is always helpful to eliminate unnecessary manual handling, which this device does.

Mr. Courtenay says, “I created the Flange Hanger to help prevent injuries to the young people working with pipe, valves and fittings in any industry, and so people with minor back problems can continue to work to support their family”. EWI Works offers many services that can improve your quality of life. Find out more about our Online Training, Services, and Resources.  Follow us on Twitter for more updates and offers, or sign up for our newsletter below.