What is 'dust'? Solid particles or fibers of various materials that are suspended or carried in the air and may penetrate the respiratory system during inhalation. These particles are generated through natural processes, as well as during processing, handling, agitation, use, or any other operation involving the material.
'Harmful dust' is dust that can cause lung diseases or other health damage originating from the material itself (such as asbestos fibers, silica, metals, and many other substances).
What is the weighted / maximum exposure allowed for a worker?
- The maximum weighted level of harmful dust in the air, in the worker’s breathing zone, which is permissible for exposure during an 8-hour workday.
- The maximum level of harmful dust in the air, in the worker’s breathing zone, which is permissible for exposure of up to 15 minutes at a time, no more than 4 times during an 8-hour workday, with at least 60 minutes between each exposure.
When is a worker considered exposed to harmful dust? A person is considered exposed to harmful dust if, due to their full-time or part-time work, they are exposed for at least 200 hours per year to harmful dust in the air at a level exceeding half of the maximum weighted permissible exposure.
Exposure to harmful dust can occur during manufacturing, processing, handling, sawing, storage, assembly, coating, disassembly, polishing, refurbishing, shaking, transportation, moving, cleaning, engraving, filling, loading, unloading, or using a material that generates harmful dust originating from that material.
So what precautionary measures should we take?
- Install effective and efficient suction-exhaust systems as close as possible to the source of harmful dust in order to prevent its spread throughout the production hall, and also install industrial ventilation systems that will allow good ventilation conditions to be maintained in all work areas and places where workers exposed to harmful dust are present, so that the permissible weighted exposure in the air remains below the values set by law.
- Ensure that harmful dust emitted from the exhaust systems is collected in closed systems and captured in sealed central containers and tanks, in a manner that does not harm the health of workers or the public.
How can we help you choose suction units that are especially suitable for you?
There are units that are specifically designed and built for these purposes.
- Suction and Filtration Wall – a unit designed for dust extraction and filtration with automatic cleaning, intended for extracting dust from polishing, grinding, electrostatic painting booths, packaging, and material processing, all without disrupting the production process.
The filter is designed for intensive and continuous operation in the metal, raw materials, minerals, chemical, pharmaceutical, wood-processing industries, and mixing plants.
Filtration walls are suitable for handling large products, ranging from dimensions of several meters up to multiple meters, while extracting air at relatively high flow rates.
For further reading, click here
- Suction Table with Internal Filtration – a combination of a worktable, hood, and automatic filtration unit, intended for work on relatively small products, up to 1.5 meters in size.
The table is used for extraction and filtration in polishing, grinding, weighing, packaging, complex material processing, and dust and particle extraction processes, all without disrupting the production process. The table is suitable for seated or standing work and provides maximum operator comfort.
Designed for intensive and continuous operation in the metal, mineral raw materials, chemical, pharmaceutical, wood-processing industries, and mixing plants.
For further reading, click here
- Suction station for unloading bags – an automatic dust filter used for filtering particles and airborne dust generated during the emptying of raw material bags. The filter is designed for intensive and continuous operation in the food, mineral raw materials, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastic industries, and mixing plants.
For further reading, click here
Ventilation & Engineering has extensive engineering experience accumulated over 63 years of operation. Together with international know-how agreements implemented across all company products, this enables us to provide consulting, planning, and manufacturing of fans, extraction systems, and ventilation systems tailored to the unique ventilation or extraction challenges in your facility.
