Manufacturing
The UK manufacturing sector comprises– Aerospace, Automotive, Rail plus process industries Food & Drink, Pharmaceutical, Textile and Material Production, Energy Production and Steel Production. There are significant gas safety risks associated with manufacturing.
Polyurethane Foam Production
Toluene Diisocyanate (TDI), is a necessary raw material used to produce many types of flexible polyurethane foams used in building insulation, car seats in the automotive industry and medical supplies. Workers are exposed to even small amounts of TDI during the receiving, storage, and manufacturing process which could result in occupational asthma.
The polyurethane foam industry prioritises worker safety by installing continuous isocyanate detection systems that report TDI levels.
Adhesives in Manufacturing
Adhesives are widely used during the manufacturing of surface coatings, textiles, vinyl packaging, composite materials, tapes. Isocyanates are one of the best chemicals for bonding adhesives. During the manufacturing process, isocyanates are released into the air and pose a threat to the health of workers nearby.
An isocyanate continuous monitoring system should be installed to alarm in the event once exposure levels reach dangerous levels.
Paint or Foam Spraying
Whether it be paint or foam, sprayers risk the inhalation of isocyanates and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as they perform intricate paint jobs on metal works, aircraft, or vehicles. When sprayers are working within an enclosed space, the risks increase considerably.
If a sprayer has been exposed to these fumes, he/she may experience anything from headaches or dizziness to nausea and fatigue. More severe symptoms may cause breathing difficulties. Due to the toxic atmosphere, respirators must be worn to provide the sprayer with safe, breathable air.
Passive badges are worn to record the levels of exposure that sprayers are subject to.
Confined Spaces
Upon entering confined spaces, workers are required under the Confined Space Regs to carry out pre-entry checks. Pumped gas detectors with sample lines are inserted into the tank to check toxic and flammable gas measurements ensuring that these are a safe level prior to entry.
Gases such as Nitrogen and Sulphur could be present at any time. Combined and in enclosed spaces, these gases pose much more of a threat than they would individually.
Once inside a tank, gas detectors are clipped to the workers overalls to continuously monitor gas levels. Area monitors are positioned to measure for gas levels beyond the personal gas detector sampling zone.
Maintenance Pits
Welders or maintenance engineers working in sub-level engine testing bays, MOT bays, maintenance pits or bogie drops face the danger of breathing combustion gases or inert gases that displace oxygen and settle at the lowest level. The deeper the pit, the more dangerous it becomes to breathe unsupported.
A fixed gas detection system provides continuous monitoring. These systems can activate a traffic light system to provide visual warnings or activate an extraction system to ventilate the area.
Tank / Silo Cleaning
Bulk storage facilities must be cleaned out in between production or storage loads. Tank cleaners are required under the Confined Space Regs to carry out pre-entry checks to check toxic and flammable gas measurements using a personal gas detector to ensure that gases are a safe level prior to entry.
Temporary placed area monitors can be positioned to form a perimeter around where cleaners are working to provide extra means of detecting dangerous concentrations of gases. For lower exposure risks, detector tubes or personal badges may be worn to record exposure levels rather than an alarm system.
Steel Fabrication
Cutting, drilling, grinding, and welding creates dusts in steel fabrication. In-effective protection can potentially lead to significant short and long-term health effects. Respiratory equipment should be worn to protect against metal dusts.
When using supplied air, breathing air lines can be frequently tested using our air testing kit.
Featured Case Studies
Our solutions satisfy applications from small facilities up to large multi-site facilities and everything in between.
Explore some of our featured case studies for more information or chat to an expert.
Bulk Liquid Storage Facility Enhances Onsite Safety
UM Terminals provides bulk liquid storage facilities for a wide range of products including vegetable oils, industrial, food and feed…
Paint Shop Invests in AIRQUAL-1 to Save Money on Compressed Air Testing
Discover how a1-cbiss save a paint shop thousands of pounds on their compressed air testing whilst protecting their paint sprayers. Paint booths or paint shops as they’re sometimes known, are areas that are often an enclosed space used to perform intricate paint jobs on metal works, aircraft, motor vehicles, ships and machinery.
Isocyanate Detectors Keep Workers Safe During Foam Manufacturing Process
The complex foam moulding process requires the control of interrelated variables…
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