Dust and Fume Extraction
If you’re a company that glues, grinds, paints or alters a material in any way, then you are going to generate dust and fumes that can be potentially harmful to your employees. Dust and fumes are one of the main causes of health problems in an industrial workplace. Having correct extraction systems installed is not only important to meet workplace regulations, but also to ensure the safety of your employees.
What is dust and fume extraction?
Dust and fume extraction systems remove any harmful airborne substances in the workplace, which can be the direct cause of any lung and ongoing respiratory problems for anybody exposed to them. There are different types of dust and fume extraction systems depending on the industry you work in:
- Solvent fume extraction
- Paint fume extraction
- Welding bay fume extraction
One of the main risks of working with paint fumes and solvents, is that different people have different tolerances and reactions to them. Exposure to different solvents can be extremely hazardous in the workplace and should be avoided at all costs. Similar to solvents, paint fumes can also be poisonous and cause serious harm to your employees if exposed to them for long periods of times. Solvent and paint fumes can cause dizziness, fainting and long-term respiratory, liver/kidney damage, so it’s of the utmost importance to incorporate the correct extraction system into your company. Solvent and paint fume extraction systems are fitted with a carbon extractor to capture the harmful compounds.
Welding bay fumes can create a whole host of problems for people exposed to them. Welding bay fumes create airborne gases like Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrous Oxide and other particles like metal oxide – this can lead to short-term health problems like pneumonia and more serious long-term problems like asthma and respiratory problems.
Why is it so important?
Local and international health and safety legislation (COSHH, NIOSHH, OSHA) dictates that any industry that is responsible to the creation of harmful airborne substances, must provide the correct ventilation and extraction.
Extraction systems circulate fresh air into the workplace and prevent any serious ongoing health problems. This improved employee health and wellbeing will increase their productivity and will also prevent you from having to deal with any compensation claims and law suits for having dangerous conditions in the workplace.