OCTOBER 2017 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT32

FEATURE DUST & FUME EXTRACTION

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Creating a productive environmentthrough dust and fume extraction

Dust particles and fumes are theenemy of process-based operations.

Not only can airborne contaminantspresent a health risk to employees, theycan also significantly impact productivityby causing contamination to finishedproducts and depositing extraneousmatter on process-critical components.“All businesses have a legal obligation toensure safe working environments for thepeople they employ,” says John Horsey,technical manager at BOFA International,which has operated in the dust and fumeextraction market for 30 years. “Thismeans maintaining a dust and fume-freeworkplace through the removal of solidparticles, liquid droplets and vapours or

The company’s Intelligent Operating(iQ) System, for which it won theQueen’s Award for Innovation this year,has introduced performanceenhancements, such as independentfilter status monitoring, to improveextraction efficiency. This ensures thatfilters are changed at just the right time,thereby reducing the risk of downtimeand lowering the overall cost ofownership. The technology includes localand remote diagnostics capability – andthis connectivity is set to expand intoenhanced configuration and diagnostics. BOFA’s investment in extraction R&D isalso enabling employers to stay ahead ofregulatory guidance, through designssuch as the FumeCAB range – a partialenclosure system that satisfies theHSG258 code of practice for operatorprotection from hand soldering, solventuse and other processes.Filtration technology is also advancing,for example through the company’spatented DeepPleat Duo pre-filtration,which uses reverse airflow operation toreduce the velocity of contaminant as itenters the filter chamber. This meansthat larger particulates fall into the largesteel drop-out chamber, with smallerparticulates drawn into the main HighEfficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter,while vapours and gases are removed viaa layer of activated carbon.www.bofa.co.uk

Manufacturing of BOFA’sdust and fume extractionproducts at its HQ

gases by way of an appropriate dust andfume extraction system.“Exposure levels to potentially harmfulairborne emissions are tightly mandatedthrough the COSHH (Control ofSubstances Hazardous to Health)regulations under the direction of theHealth & Safety Executive, and areexpressed as workplace exposure limits(WELs). Airborne emissions vary accordingto the materials being worked, and someof the fumes resulting from productiveprocesses can be toxic or harmful.”BOFA’s technology portfolio servessectors as diverse as laser, electronics,mechanical engineering, printing, medicaland beauty in over 100 countries.

The Extraction Manufacturers and Designers Association (EMADA)recently hosted its launch event at the National Motorcycle Museum inBirmingham. Workplace extraction and ventilation is critical to the healthand wellbeing of employees and despite many employers appreciatingthis position, UK industry is responsible for 12,000 workplace-relatedrespiratory deaths every year.

EMADA has been formed by manufacturers and designers of dust andfume extraction systems to ensure best practice and support the Health& Safety Executive (HSE) in reducing the impact of poor work practices.

At the launch event, EMADA association chairman, Paul Rowlands,said: “By forming this association, we are creating a conduit between theindustry experts and the HSE. There is already a good level of regulationand guidance from the HSE, but there remain opportunities forimprovement in many systems and their application. Lung latency is a‘long term’ workplace accident and EMADA is taking a moral imperativeto push best practice to industry.”

Also, Sarah Mallagh, the head of Health & Chemicals Unit at the HSE,mentioned to attendees that: “Many employers overlook controlling

contaminants at-source and look to PPE equipment as a solution. Weneed to inform, instil and even enforce the message that ‘control at-source’ through effective Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems are thebest-practice solution to a healthier workplace.

“The HSE has just re-published the HSG258 ‘Control of AirborneContaminants at Work Guide’ and this has shifted the emphasis from thesupplier to the employer. We have also launched the ‘Healthy LungPartnership’ and will be hosting a ‘healthy lung’ summit in November.”EMADA www.emada.org.uk

EMADA launched to combatworkplace respiratory deaths

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