Aerospace and Defence manufacturing operations can generate a wide variety of hazardous and potentially explosive dusts which require specialist extraction:
Metallic Dusts - Aluminium and titanium particles can be explosive, requiring ATEX rated wet dust collectors for safe removal.
Composite Dusts - Carbon fibre and glass fibre materials create extremely fine, lightweight particles during cutting and finishing that can be difficult to capture.
Ceramic/Coating Dusts - Grinding and machining ceramic parts can produce respirable crystalline silica and other particulate matter that can cause silicosis and other serious health conditions.
Abrasive Media - Surface finishing processes such as grinding, deburring and shot blasting can generate dust particles which can be harmful to health if breathed in.
Contact our experts to discuss your needs so we can recommend the right dust extraction system for you.
Chemicals widely used in common production processes can result in emissions including VOCs and fume which must be handled and treated in accordance with the European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive.
We provide VOC abatement and fume extraction systems that handle a wide range of emissions including welding fume, process generated fume, vehicle exhaust fume, chemical fume, solvent fume, and fumes generated in laser and plasma cutting.
Attention to detail is mission critical for aerospace manufacturers - the smallest imperfections can have big consequences.
Oil mist generated in metal machining operations including milling, turning and cutting can have costly implications if left in the atmosphere.
Aerospace manufacturing operations including additive manufacturing, composite component production, metal fabrication, paint spraying, plastic injection moulding, and powder coating can generate fine explosive metallic dusts, combustible chemical dusts and polymer plastic particles.
These contaminants must be effectively managed to ensure compliance with industry standards and legal requirements including COSHH and DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations).
Filtermist acquired the Kerstar brand in 2019 and now manufactures a wide range of ATEX rated industrial vacuum cleaners suitable for cleaning up potentially explosive dust and debris in Dust Zones 21 & 22 and Gas Zones 1 & 2.
Kerstar also offers a number of Class H vacuums to safely dispose of hazardous dust, as well as non-ATEX models for standard cleaning applications. Products include electric and compressed air powered models to suit all requirements.
All aerospace and defence manufacturers based in Great Britain are required to comply with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH) regulations, which provide a framework for the management of hazards including the assessment of health risks, the prevention of exposure where possible, adequate control of exposure, and the monitoring, surveillance, and examination of the work environment.
A number of airborne contaminants found in aerospace and defence manufacturing facilities are controlled under COSHH regulations including dust, fume, smoke, oil mist, and VOCs. Exposure to these contaminants can have serious and even potentially fatal consequences if they are left in the atmosphere. For example, fume from welding mild steel is now known to cause cancer. Other illnesses including occupational asthma, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ‘metal fume fever’ are all linked to fume and smoke widely found in facilities where welding and cutting take place.
Using Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) to eliminate airborne particles is the preferred control measure for minimising the risk to employees, as well as guaranteeing companies are operating within the legal emissions limits.
Once an appropriate LEV system is installed, visual checks should be regularly undertaken to ensure the system is performing as intended, and it should be thoroughly tested by a competent person at least once every 14 months under COSHH Regulations.
It is the duty of employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees – as well as others entering their manufacturing facilities – is protected.
Comprehensive assessments should be carried out to identify where any potential risks lie, and procedures and policies put into place to control and minimise them. Employers should understand their duties under HSE regulations, and should also undertake regular consultations with their team to provide information, instruction and training in relation to their health, safety and welfare.
Filtermist provides oil mist collectors in over 60 countries worldwide