Canterbury University: taking fume extraction seriously
Workshop Managers and their employees are taking safe removal of airborne contaminants more seriously. Good extraction is always inexpensive compared to the short- and long-term effects for workers directly exposed to breathing contaminated air as well as co-workers who are indirectly exposed, but there are a lot of cost-effective solutions available.
Dangerous air
Inhalable particles, those small enough to be breathed in, are anything from 0.01μm up to 100 μm, but the dangerous particles that can penetrate deeply into lungs and cannot be expelled are <10 μm; these particles are invisible to the naked eye. These smaller particles also remain suspended in air longer and move with the local air current streams in the workshop, often carrying them a long way from the source to affect other staff.
Easy solution
An example of good practice is a recent install requested by Steve Palmer, Site Engineer for the University of Canterbury, who needed extraction for the welding bay in the site workshop. The area is not large, but Steve was impressed with the ease of the 3m reach of the European-made Fume Arms from NZ Duct&Flex.
Fume arms are a very effective way of removing fumes away from the welder, capturing them, and ensuring they leave the work area without causing a nuisance to other workers further away. The robust metal powder-coated tubes use exterior hinging, ensuring air flow is not interrupted and that the hinging does not become inoperative due to build-up of particles. An easly all-round grab handle allows the operator to position the hood exactly where it will be most effective. This simple system is also good value as all the components can easily be reconfigured if the workshop changes in the future.
