Benedikt Müksch loves a good challenge. Whether it be at playing soccer with his team or volunteering for his sports club’s youth development program. But it’s not just during his spare time, he also enjoys taking on challenges in the current transformation of the energy sector towards more sustainable energy sources. As a Senior Consultant for Safety and Emergency Management at Dräger, he is finding ways to successfully navigate through new technologies in the industry, where safety concepts are needed. It’s an ideal opportunity where Dräger and its clients have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with each other.

CleanTech refers to the technologies advancing renewable energies, and it stands at the forefront of contemporary innovations. As it happens, Dräger already has experience in dealing with new sources of energy and the technology behind them: “We have been working successfully with measurement technology and equipment for hydrogen in our company for decades,” says Benedikt Müksch. On the same note, the safety engineer has noticed a growing momentum in the market segment: “Five years ago, we and many of our clients had no idea exactly what the CleanTech trend would mean for us. Today, a lot of the interest in renewable energy has to do with hydrogen. In particular, comprehensive safety concepts with our years of experience are in demand.”

Let’s take hydrogen, for example, this includes questions like: How can we reliably detect the emission of this flameless-burning gas in all affected areas of a facility? What emergency management measures are necessary if an alarm is triggered by a release? And how do the newly identified risks compare to the existing requirements our clients need to fulfill?

One example that comes to mind is the upgrading of workshops for fuel cell vehicles or the conversion of gas-fired power plants to accommodate hydrogen blending. Here, as well as in wind farms using electrolysis, the more innovative the CleanTech applications, the more there is a demand for customized safety concepts tailored to client requirements.

After earning his degree in safety engineering from Wuppertal, Benedikt Müksch successfully applied for a position at Dräger, marking a positive start in his career in the field. Looking back, “It was simply an incredibly good fit on both sides,” he recalls. He has been working as a consultant for safety and emergency management at Dräger Safety since November 2015 and supports and consults clients in Germany and abroad. He is primarily responsible for the western region in Germany, serving clients from various sectors. “My clients span a diverse range of fields including the energy sector, hospitals, recycling plants, even the automotive industry," shares the enthusiastic amateur sportsman. A typical CleanTech application in his day-to-day work involves not only hydrogen topics but also battery technology. “It plays a particularly important role in the automotive industry,” says Müksch. Both areas have a significant need for safety consulting, as this issue has not been a major focus for many until recently. 

The role of hydrogen is changing how we see CleanTech solutions, both in how it’s used and in its scale. Take green gas as an example: If 'green' gas—produced with electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar power—is to play a significant role in the future of energy transition, it will require large electrolyzers and storage systems, as well as new logistics solutions, and innovative industrial processes. All of which must be safely monitored. “This is where we at Dräger can use our extensive expertise to provide advice and solutions by adapting tried and tested knowledge to new applications,” explains Benedikt Müksch.

From CleanTech to other fields, no two Benedikt Müksch projects are the same. Everything about a project varies including the time factor, which can range from a few days to several weeks. “This can range from a basic safety plan completed in just a few workshops to ongoing support and assistance for clients during lengthy processes to implement a comprehensive safety management system,” points out the safety and emergency management consultant.

Dedication and steadfastness go a long way for Benedikt, he has been working on the topic of CleanTech at Dräger for six years now. Since 2020, projects related to hydrogen and alternative propulsion have been on the rise. For clients, grappling with the production, storage, and use of new energy carriers and their associated technologies has now become part of everyday business. “However, we are still in an era where we need to come up with solutions for many applications,” Müksch notes, highlighting the unique dynamic between the start-up spirit and the ramp-up to industrial application. “At Dräger, we recognized this shift and have kept up with the changes in time with our solutions,” he adds.

As an expert in safety and emergency management, Benedikt is thrilled by how many young people are getting involved in CleanTech topics. “You can really feel the excitement among our clients,” he says. “Given our challenge with transformation, this enthusiasm is absolutely essential.” On a more personal note, he is pleased that he can contribute to CleanTech solutions today that can have a broad impact on the market over the next decade.

For the safety engineer, every new project begins with an initial call—a client reaching out to the Dräger sales team. “From there, we begin to collaborate together, jointly addressing their challenges and assessing their risk scenarios. We then analyze what safety measures are already in place and explore how we can further mitigate risks,” elaborates Benedikt. What follows are dynamic and intensive exchanges: “We visit the company and talk to all the departments involved.” This includes collaborating with research and development departments when it comes to hydrogen, as they are especially familiar with the challenges due to the frequent new applications and requirements. For everyone involved, safety is always the top priority. “It's often very interdisciplinary,” he says enthusiastically.

The on-going exchange with his Dräger colleagues is an invaluable source of support for Benedikt, because they know the clients well and their specific needs. The topics are after all incredibly diverse: it’s not just about fixed gas detection systems (including, fire & gas detection systems, FGDS, but also about portable measurement technology and how to use it as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), flexible rental solutions for equipment and providing the right experts, for example for major shutdowns.

The topic of safety definitely takes center stage for most German companies. “Our clients have a high level of awareness of the topic and are committed to advancing their applications with utmost safety, often reaching out to us proactively to ensure the best outcomes,” shares Benedikt Müksch.

Take workshops for example: one potential outcome is evidence that certain risks are maintained within acceptable limits. These results can then be incorporated into discussions between clients and their partners, such as regulatory agencies and insurance companies. Benedikt emphasizes the importance of not immediately thinking in terms of standard solutions: “We listen and then aim to find the optimal solution tailored to our client.” This approach is particularly vital when we are talking about the CleanTech sector, seeing as it is developing at an ever-increasing pace.

After a successful challenge, what brings a smile of satisfaction to the engineer? When it all comes together at the end—a coherent new safety concept that fits with the client’s requests. In turn, bringing a smile of satisfaction to them too. “Our clients recognize that we don’t just steer them towards certain products and solutions; we consider their processes comprehensively. Our fundamental goal is to understand our client’s needs and ultimately come up together with an effective, practical solution,” he shares.

Text: Peter Thomas     Pictures: Dominik Asbach     Date: April 2024