Many agricultural operations can result in airborne dust and fume which must be effectively controlled under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, and DSEAR for potentially explosive environments.
The HSE recommends using engineering controls, eg enclosing the process or fitting local exhaust ventilation to remove toxic fume or dust at source if the risk from exposure to welding fume and dust from sources including grain, animal feed and poultry cannot be eliminated.
Our UK manufactured Dustcheck range of dust extraction units and venting filters is available in mild steel with standard or special paint finishes, or stainless steel (grade to suit i.e. 304 or 316) with finishes from standard sheet with welds as laid, to special finishes crack and crevice free.
The Absolent AD dust extraction range is constructed from Galfan pre-treated steel – offering twice the corrosion resistance of conventional hot-dip galvanising.
Our venting filters and dust extraction units are suitable for numerous agricultural applications including silo venting, sieving, ingredient dispensing, bag filling, sack tipping and weighing. We can also supply dust control filters for:
Contact our dust extraction experts to discuss your needs so we can recommend the right dust extraction system or venting filter for you.
Farm machinery and equipment often requires welding due to the harsh conditions in which they are used. All welding fume, including mild steel, is classified as a potential carcinogen and must be effectively controlled under COSHH Regulations.
The HSE website includes dedicated pages focussing on Health and Safety in the Agricultural industry. Exposure to hazardous substances is one of the main causes of ill health amongst people working in agriculture; the COSHH section on the HSE website looks at various risks in detail and includes a link to a series of COSHH essentials sheets for farmers. These cover topics including harvesting and transferring grain and seed crops, weighing, milling and mixing animal feeds, opening hay, haylage and silage bales, and cleaning grain and animal feed stores, sheds and silos.
“According to the HSE agricultural dusts include grain and plant dusts, fungal spores, animal dander, bacteria and endotoxins. These can all cause diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and farmer's lung.”
Using Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) to reduce dust generated by food ingredients is an approved way of 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.
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