Warman telescopic gland seal guards

New patented guards make pump maintenance safer and can be retrofitted without pump disassembly

WEIR Minerals have announced the global availability of new telescopic gland seal guards that further protect maintenance personnel performing gland seal adjustments on its Warman slurry pump range.

The guards never need to be removed in order to adjust the gland seal followers, making this routine task far safer. The telescopic design, which can be retrofitted into existing Warman pumps without disassembly, ensures secure fitment no matter how the pump is set up.

‘At Weir Minerals, we always put the safety of our customers and employees first. These innovative gland seal guards provide an elegant solution to a long-standing safety concern – how to safely adjust the gland seal of a slurry pump while it’s operating,’ said Marcus Lane, global product manager for centrifugal pumps.

‘We need to adjust the glands whilst the pump is in operation. Historically, this meant removing the guard and exposing personnel to rotating parts. The new guards never need to be removed during pump operation and address a number of safety concerns our service teams frequently observe on site, such as the possibility for the rotating elements to forcefully eject the tool being used to adjust the gland follower.

‘Another common concern is the tendency for operators to lay cloth over the seal area during adjustment to block the water spray. These fabrics can become entangled around the rotating shaft whilst also ensnaring the tool, fingers, hand or arm of the maintenance personnel,’ he continues.

‘Warman telescopic gland seal guards fully protect maintenance personnel from potentially dangerous situations arising from an exposed shaft.’

The guards, which comply with global standards including ISO 14120, ISO 13857, AS4024.1601 and AS4024.1801, are available for the majority of Warman pumps including MCR, WBH and AH, and additional designs will be engineered upon request. 

Manufactured from stainless steel to prevent corrosion, guards are painted golden yellow to be quickly identifiable as a safety feature.