Dust and Fume Collection for Welding

Worker safety is critically important in welding applications. A huge priority should be placed on clean air when welding, since welding smoke has been linked to a variety of illnesses. A well designed and maintained dust and fume collection system is needed to prevent respiratory problems and keep facilities in compliance with current air quality requirements. In some cases, a good dust collection and ventilation system can eliminate the need for personal respirators and the challenges of getting employees to wear them.

Also, the equipment currently used in fabricating plants has reached a new level of sophistication. Robotic welding and other computerized systems are more sensitive than machinery was 10 or 20 years ago. If dust is not collected properly from welding stations or similar areas, a million-dollar investment can be ruined in no time. Several photos of dust collector installations on welding applications can be viewed here.

FAQ: Can I recirculate the air from the dust collector back into my shop?

The answer is yes in almost all cases. It make sense to save on energy costs by returning heated or air conditioned air back into the workspace after it exits the dust collector. When using recirculating dust collection systems, special safety and performance concerns must be addressed. Often, a secondary bank of filters acts as a 'safety filter' to prevent collected dust from re-entering the workspace should there be a leak in the dust collector's primary filters.

Read the online article, Recirculating Air From Dust Collectors. It discusses benefits, safety issues, meeting OSHA IAQ standards, filter media and monitoring, and explores fire and explosion concerns. Also, here is a case study on a dust collector installation where cleaned air was recirculated back into the workspace, allowing considerable savings in heating costs during the long and cold New Hampshire winters. This is a woodworking application. The same principle could be applied to recirculated cooled air on a hot summer day in Texas!

In The News: Chemical Safety Board Releases Video on Combustible Dust

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), an independent federal agency, has released a new safety video entitled, "Combustible Dust: An Insidious Hazard." It features outstanding animations that recreate the events and conditions leading to three major industrial dust accidents involving combustible dust. You can watch the YouTube video here.

The issue of combustible dust must be addressed when considering the installation of an industrial dust collector. Please watch this video to learn of surprising dangers that you probably don't realize exist. For further reading on all aspects of combustible dust, be sure to visit http://dustexplosions.blogspot.com/. This blog site offers extensive and resources on the subject. Always feel free to contact us here at Farr to answer your questions regarding your particular application.

Case Study: Sink Manufacturer's Dust Problems Down the Drain

Sink Factory, Inc. (SFI) is a manufacturer of cast polymer products. In 2004, they started their business in a facility that already had a baghouse dust collector in place. However, the volume of dust generated by the grinding and sanding of thr cast sinks proved to be too great a challenge for the undersized collection system. Employees with protective masks worked in an environment of dust laden air and thick layers of settled particulate.

Sound similar to your situation? Read the solution to this challenge and learn how a unique installation of two dust collection booths handled the massive dust loading in this case study. Great photos here.

Employee Safety, Equipment Protection or Code Compliance: Why do manufacturers install dust collection equipment?

Just about every type of manufacturing process generates some sort of dust or fume. At what point(s) does dust-laden air become a nuisance? ...a health hazard? ...a safety hazard? ...an equipment liability? ...illegal? Are manufacturers aware of such conditions in their businesses? One would certainly hope so. What motivates a manufacturer to install dust or fume collectors?

In our experience, most companies buy dust collectors because they have to, not because they want to. Of these, the majority are trying to comply with codes to keep their operation running. The second largest group who buy industrial dust collectors are those concerned with the detrimental effect that fugitive dust has on capital equipment. Finally, there's a small percentage of manufacturers who install dust or fume collectors primarily for the sake of health and safety for their employees.

All the above are valid reasons. Is one more important than the other? To whom? What can be done to help/educate manfacturers on this issue? Please feel free to comment here and express your opinion.