All aspects of chemical use are highly regulated in Great Britain. Our dust extraction systems and aftermarket services ensure that UK manufacturers comply with all relevant health and safety legislation including DSEAR and COSHH.
In environments where combustible or explosive chemical powders are handled, DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002) must be complied with to help minimise the risk of workplace fires and explosions.
Exposure to all substances deemed hazardous to health must be minimised to ‘as low as reasonably practicable’ in accordance with COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2002.
The Dustcheck brand of dust collectors and venting filters, manufactured by Filtermist at our UK headquarters, includes several products suitable for effectively removing dust from chemical powders at source, helping to ensure production facilities are safe places to work.
We also offer dust collectors from our sister company, Absolent. The AD range offers high-performance extraction in a compact footprint, and is constructed from Galfan pre-treated steel as standard - offering twice the corrosion resistance of conventional hot-dip galvanising.
Whether the process is highly corrosive, or subject to extremes of temperature or pressure, our dust extraction units and venting filters include products suitable for use in a wide range of applications found in the chemicals industry including:
Contact our dust extraction experts now for advice on the best dust extraction solution for your chemical handling application.
HSE publication EH40/2005 ‘Workplace exposure limits’ lists more than 500 substances which all have WELs. EH40 says, “WELs are British occupational exposure limits and are set in order to help protect the health of workers. WELs are concentrations of hazardous substances in the air, averaged over a specified period of time, referred to as a time-weighted average (TWA).” Two time periods are generally used: long-term (8 hours); and short-term (15 minutes). Substances including pigments, reactive intermediates and enzyme powders can present sensitisation or carcinogenic risks at minimal concentrations and therefore have very low WELs. Effectively removing chemical dust particles from workplace air is critical for COSHH compliance.
“Where substances have been classified as carcinogens, mutagens or asthmagens, exposure must be controlled to as low as is reasonably practicable (ALARP) to comply with COSHH Regulations”
The HSE recommends using Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) to reduce dust generated in chemical handling processes to minimise the risk to employees and help ensure employers are complying with regulatory requirements including COSHH.
Once an appropriate LEV system is installed, visual checks should be regularly undertaken to ensure the system is performing as intended, and COSHH Regulations require it to be thoroughly tested by a competent person at least once every 14 months.
It is the duty of employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees, as well as others entering their facilities, is protected. Comprehensive risk assessments should be carried out to identify where any potential issues 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