FEATURE DUST & FUME EXTRACTION
AVOIDING CORROSION IN HVAC AND PROTECTING EMPLOYEE HEALTH W
hen installing a HVAC system, the main aim is usually to heat or cool the environment
for employee comfort. Often underestimated is the impact that HVAC systems can have on employee health. Corrosion, caused by the presence of chemicals, is one of the biggest threats to HVAC systems and indicates an unsafe environment for employees. Corrosion damage and its consequences in HVAC systems are discussed in this article.
WHAT IS CORROSION DAMAGE? Corrosion mainly occurs in metals when they react with their environments; their refined form turns into stable form, for example, oxides and sulphides. Put simply, corrosion is the slow death of metals. For HVAC systems, this can mean components become damaged and need to be replaced regularly, costing time (often system downtime) and money. Furthermore, the chemical vapours that cause corrosion can also result in life-changing illnesses and physical conditions in environments where HVAC systems are critical and not just for comfort. Such environments include laboratories, chemical storage and dosing areas, water treatment plants, manufacturing process areas, acid baths, offshore and waste recycling plants.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN UNSAFE EMPLOYEE ENVIRONMENT As metal corrosion indicates the presence of harmful chemical vapours, it should act as a clear warning to those responsible that employee health is in danger in that environment. Case studies of neglect on this account demonstrate the consequences of inadequate HVAC systems. One such case study is California State
University where laboratory workers complained that there was improper ventilation in the laboratory and offices in which they worked. One
of the employees had two miscarriages and another employee became infertile. The doctor of the latter believes that long-term exposure to dangerous chemicals could be the potential cause of his infertility. On investigation, the ventilation system in the laboratories had considerable corrosion damage. Corrosion damage will have negatively
impacted the performance of the HVAC system, making it less effective over time. This means harmful chemical vapours will not have been effectively removed from the environment and instead can be breathed in by employees. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between the ability of the HVAC system to resist corrosion and employee health.
THE CORROSION RESISTANT HVAC SOLUTION It is paramount for environments where harmful substances are used to ensure corrosion resistant HVAC systems are installed. This will not only protect employee health, but also ensure that costly downtime, extra maintenance and replacements are not necessary. Axair’s polypropylene fans are corrosion
resistant and extremely durable, making them the ideal solution to protect employee health in harsh environments.
Axair Fans
www.axair-fans.co.uk A bespoke dust monitoring and alarm solution
Following advice from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), a large UK manufacturer was required to monitor airborne particulates in and around its paint shop, and to automatically raise visual and audible alarms when potentially dangerous conditions arise. Ashtead Technology was therefore contacted, and Jay Neermul, environmental sales manager at the company, visited the site to assess the requirements. With remote communication and the ability to measure all of the key dust
fractions simultaneously, Neermul concluded that the most appropriate instruments would be the TSI DustTrak Environmental 8543 MCERTS Outdoor Dust & Aerosol Monitors (TSI DTE). “By continuously monitoring total PM, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1, these instruments provide a complete picture of the particulate levels that represent a threat to staff health,” he comments. “With MCERTS certification these monitors also have the proven levels of performance that are required to operate continuously and reliably.” The TSI DTE instruments continuously monitor particulate levels and
transmit data to a cloud-based system which can be accessed via PC or mobile APP. This provides an opportunity to view secure monitoring data 24/7 from any location, which means that staff will be able to correlate process conditions with aerosol levels so that opportunities for operational
improvements can be identified. The system is also able to issue alarms via text or email, however, this application demanded visual and audible alarms so that staff can be evacuated immediately. The TSI DTE does not provide this function, so Ashtead’s engineers developed and trialled a solution that incorporates the advantages of the monitoring system with a bespoke audible and visual alarm capability. The resulting monitoring system demonstrated full compliance with the
site’s monitoring requirements, so three systems were ordered in July 2019 and delivered in the first week of August.
www.ashtead-technology.com
14 SPRING 2020 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE
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