FEATURE ENVIRONMENTAL & EMISSIONS MONITORING
Ensuring local exhaust ventilation remains effective
Industrial Compliance looks at a device that is said to offer a solution that allows local exhaust ventilation engineers to identify fugutive emissions in the workplace, helping to protect workers health
W
hether it is for welding, woodwork or chemical processing, industrial
ventilation, dust extraction and fume extraction are essential to address the many health hazards that can occur if workers breath in hazardous fumes. The 2014/5 Health & Safety Executive statistics recorded 4,000 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a respiratory disease often referred to as COPD). It is believed that up to 15% of COPD cases may have been caused or made worse by working conditions. In a standard local exhaust ventilation
(LEV) unit a fan will draw in air through the hood and over filter bags which trap the contaminants or through an air cleaning device. The clean air is then emitted back into the working environment. LEV units are a tried and tested way of maintaining the occupational hygiene of workers. However, it is vital that these units are inspected regularly to ensure that the air being expelled does not contain unwanted contaminants, as a result of faulty or overused filters. The COSHH Regulations 2002, Regulation 9 refers to the Maintenance, Examination & Testing of Controls, stating that all LEV systems should be thoroughly examined and tested at least once in a period of 14 months by a competent person to ensure that the system remains effective. Part of the daily routine of Louise
Wood, LEV Engineer & Occupational Hygienist at Airducts, is to mitigate these risks by identifying any fugitive emissions. In the past she relied on dust lamps to do this. However, for more efficient testing, she looked for a device that would be able to check the dust extraction systems in filtration units already inside the workplace. “Should these units fail there would be significant risk of secondary exposure,” explained Wood. “I needed a monitoring device that could provide a quantitative, indicative figure that would enable me to inform clients on critical control issues with reasonable justification there and then.”
20 AUTUMN 2016 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE Casella was able to offer a suitable
solution with its Microdust Pro device. A data logging instrument that is able to detect real time levels of airborne dusts, fumes and aerosols. The portable device fits easily into a toolbox. “It was so convenient and is perfect for walk though surveys for a client or when undertaking specific monitoring for filtration systems,” said Wood.
WIDE MEASUREMENT RANGE The device boasts a wide measurement range and can be zero and span calibrated in the field. Up to 999 measurements can be stored in the memory or downloaded. The data can then be sorted by location, process or person and analysed in graphical detail. This means that key information can be recorded immediately on site and fully analysed at a later date. “I use the Microdust Pro for 10-15
minutes to obtain an indicative figure which is then used in my reports,” said Wood. “Sometimes this figure indicates that the workers may be over the stipulated Workplace Exposure Limits (WEL) resulting in the workers’ health being put at risk. It is vital then that further investigation is carried out and an actual personal exposure measured and
Real time aerosol monitor
TSI’s AM520, available from Shawcity, is said to be the smallest, portable, battery-operated, datalogging, light- scattering laser photometer that provides immediate access to aerosol mass concentration readings within a worker's breathing zone. Traditionally, gravimetric reference samplers collect a
sample on a cartridge over an eight hour period. The sample is then sent off to a laboratory for analysis and the user must wait a number of days for the results to be sent back. The AM520, however, offers real time measurements and instant data. This allows quick evaluation of worker exposure and the ability to make instant changes. The overall cost is less than an analytical instrument. The device includes a 95dBA audible alarm, flashing LEDs and screen background and a general alarm. An intrinsically- safe version is also available – the AM520i.
Shawcity
www.shawcity.co.uk T: 01367 899553
The Microdust Pro is a handheld device that is able to detect real time levels of airborne dusts, fumes and aerosols
calculated by means of a personal sampling pump and suitable media.” It would also be a trigger to look at the maintenance and repair programmes to ensure the effectiveness of the machinery being used to mitigate the risks from that source. The work that Wood carries out is vital
in ensuring that workers are protected against future serious health problems. Commenting on the relationship between Casella and Airducts, Andrea Bowen, technical product manager at Casella, said: “The core features of the Microdust Pro highlights Casella’s commitment to providing solutions for Occupational Health to ultimately safeguard the long term health and quality of life for workers in industry today.” Real time detection means that instant decisions can be made with regards to intervention, which can only lead to the improvement of workers’ future health. The device really is the ideal survey tool for quick measurements of airborne hazards and for testing the efficiency of filtration units, reflected in Louise’s success with the product.
Casella
www.casellasolutions.com T: 01234 844100
/ INDUST RAL COMPA RI CE
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