The Implications of Air Pollution in Factories and Shop Floors: An Analysis for Industry Leaders

To the esteemed leaders of the automotive, engineering, and manufacturing sectors,

The matter at hand is of utmost significance to industries that pride themselves on operational excellence and a commitment to the welfare of their employees. We address the pressing concern of air pollution within factories and shop floors.

  1. Health Concerns for the Workforce: Employees, the backbone of any successful operation, are at substantial risk in environments with suboptimal air quality. The persistent exposure to particulate matter, chemical pollutants, and biological agents may lead to chronic respiratory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and even oncological complications. It is imperative to ensure the health and safety of those who contribute daily to the growth of the industry.
  2. Compromised Product Integrity: Air pollution can have direct implications on the quality of output, particularly in sectors such as food manufacturing. Contamination due to airborne pollutants can undermine product safety and tarnish the organization’s reputation in the marketplace.
  3. Deterioration of Machinery: The intrusion of dust and particulate matter into machinery can expedite their degradation. Such pollutants not only affect the machinery’s performance but also result in escalated maintenance costs and reduced operational longevity.
  4. Regulatory Challenges: As international standards become increasingly stringent, industries face a heightened regulatory scrutiny. Non-compliance with air quality norms can lead to significant financial penalties and reputational risks.

Recommendations for Mitigation:

Addressing this concern requires strategic intervention. Below are some recommended measures:

  • Continuous Air Quality Monitoring: It is advisable to deploy sophisticated monitoring systems to assess air quality within facilities, providing real-time insights.
  • Enhanced Ventilation and Filtration: Proper ventilation coupled with industrial-grade air filtration systems can substantially decrease pollutant concentrations.
  • Routine Equipment Assessments: Periodic inspections are necessary to ensure machinery does not exceed pollutant emission thresholds.
  • Employee Training: It is essential to periodically educate the workforce about the significance of maintaining optimal air quality and the associated best practices.

How can We Help?

While we are unable to aid in terms of air quality monitoring or equipment assessments, we are more than capable of providing solutions for enhanced ventilation and filtration. Powertech Pollution Controls Pvt Ltd is a company with over 25 years of experience in the design and development of systems for air pollution control. Our products include a wide range of air pollution control equipment like welding fume extractors, soldering fume extractors, mist collectors and dust collectors. These are marketed under the brands of FumeKiller®, DustBag® and MistKiller™ and have been successfully implemented in multiple applications the capture and control of air pollutants like fumes, smoke, mist and dust.

In Conclusion:

The matter of air pollution within factories and shop floors, while often overshadowed by other operational challenges, is pivotal in the contemporary industrial landscape. As industries transition towards sustainability and heightened responsibility, addressing air quality becomes not just an operational imperative, but a moral one.

Your attention to this matter will undoubtedly contribute to a healthier industry, both in human and operational terms. For any enquiry regarding our air pollution control systems, Get in Touch with us today and we will work with you to design a suitable solution for your requirement.

Respectfully,

Philip Thomas

Managing Director, Powertech Pollution Controls

Soldering Fumes

Health hazards of soldering fumes

Operators doing soldering can be exposed to lead during the process. If handled improperly, lead can have long-term negative consequences on one’s health, including issues with the reproductive system, the digestive system, memory and concentration, and discomfort in the muscles and joints. Operators can be exposed to the fumes by means of ingestion or inhalation.

Hazardous dust and fumes can be produced when soldering with lead (or other metals used for soldering). In addition, using flux containing rosin produces solder fumes that, if inhaled, can result in occupational asthma or worsen existing asthmatic conditions; as well as cause eye and upper respiratory tract irritation.

Today’s world places a great deal of importance on the skill of soldering. From jewellery to construction to electronics, soldering is used in a wide range of sectors during the manufacturing process. As a result, in order to better safeguard workers from potential danger, the health impacts of soldering have been thoroughly researched.

It has also been discovered that extended exposure to soldering fumes can be harmful for people, lead to major chronic health issues, and exacerbate existing chronic diseases.

What are solder fumes?

Solder fumes are metal vapours expelled into the air as a result of the heat + pressure of soldering. The actual process of soldering involves the melting of metals to create a strong joint. As a result, soldering fumes are released into the air as the solder flux transforms into a gas.

Why are Solder Fumes Considered a Health Hazard?

Anything you breathe other than clean air that will likely be detrimental for your health. However, heavy metals found in soldering fumes can be quite harmful to people. Therefore, it is generally agreed that soldering fumes pose a significant risk to occupational health, and employees should be shielded from these side effects using sufficient ventilation, fume extraction, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Soldering Fumes Health Effects:

The type of metals used in the soldering process has a significant impact on the health effects of soldering fumes. All heavy metals have the potential to be hazardous if consumed, however not all heavy metals are equally toxic, and the toxic dose might vary. For instance, even though iron is an essential part of our diet, those who consume excessive amounts of it might develop iron toxicity. However, lead exposure can result in a wide range of health issues as lead is a highly poisonous substance. People exposed to lead run the risk of developing renal disease, hypertension, and digestive issues even if acute lead poisoning does not manifest. Beryllium, another heavy metal that is utilized in various applications, is known to cause cancer.

The symptoms are generally flu-like, with fever, aches, chills, nausea, and dizziness.

Many other elements and compounds used in the soldering process can be potentially harmful and therefore, it is wise to treat all fumes as toxic and prevent the inhalation of soldering fumes in general.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard requires employers to monitor air quality and restrict soldering fume exposure. The permissible exposure limit (PEL) is strictly enforced by OSHA in order to promote safe working conditions.

Soldering fumes are an occupational health hazard caused by heavy metal dust and smoke that can be breathed in. A worker who does soldering as a part of their job will require a working environment where all protective measures are in place. Some of these measures include:

  • Ensuring proper ventilation throughout the shopfloor.
  • Have enough PPE for personal protection of every operator.
  • Use of soldering fume extractors is a must at every soldering station.

At Powertech Pollution Controls Pvt. Ltd., we provide a variety of mobile and fixed fume extraction devices, under the brand name of FumeKiller® that are highly effective and efficient in the capture and control of fumes, smoke, mist and dust. Our FumeKiller® devices can be used for extraction of fumes in processes like hand-soldering, wave-soldering, dip-tinning, automated soldering stations etc.

Some of our reputed customers include India Nippon, Delta Electronics, Secure Meters, Lucas TVS, Centum Electronics and Rakon India, among others.

For any requirement for soldering fume extractors, Get in Touch with us today and we will work with you to design the most suitable solution for your requirement.

The dangers of welding fumes and protecting the health of the welding operators

Introduction:

Welding plays a crucial role in creating strong and durable metal joints and is a critical process in multiple industries ranging from construction and manufacturing to automotive and aerospace. However, there is a significant health risk that is posed to the operators because of the toxic fumes generated during the welding process. In this post, we explore the dangers of welding and potential solutions to avert these dangers and create a cleaner and safer working environment for welding operators.

The Hidden Dangers of Welding Fumes:

Welding involves joining of metal joints using high levels of heat and the process itself can generate a significant volume of harmful and potentially toxic fumes and gases. Some of the most common types of welding fumes include:

  1. Metal Fumes: Tiny particles of metal become airborne during the welding process. These particles may include hazardous elements like Chromium, Lead, Cadmium and Manganese.
  2. Gases: Various gases, such as Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide and Ozone can form during the welding process. Prolonged exposure to these gases can have serious side effects in the long term.
  3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Organic compounds like benzene and formaldehyde that are released during welding are known carcinogens.
  4. Particulate Matter: Other than metals, there may also be other microscopic particulate matter in the fumes generated from welding. These particles can be inhaled and can cause long term respiratory issues and lung disorders.

The Effects on the Health of Welding Operators:

The potential health risks to welding operators who are exposes to fumes over extended periods are multiple and can be quite severe. Some of the more commonly observed issues include:

  1. Respiratory Problems: In the short term, problems like cough and irritation of the throat is quite common when exposed to welding fumes. However, prolonged exposure can lead to severe chronic conditions including bronchitis, asthma and even lung cancer.
  2. Neurological Effects: Long term exposure to Manganese in the welding fumes can lead to a condition known as “Welder’s Disease” or Manganism, a condition resembling Parkinson’s Disease, with symptoms like tremors and difficulty with movements for those affected.
  3. Metal Poisoning: As explained earlier, welding fumes can contain a multitude of heavy metals like Chromium and Lead. These can accumulate in the body over time and lead metal poisoning and severe health complications.
  4. Eye and Skin Irritation: A commonly observed effect of welding fumes is irritation of the skin and eyes which are usually short term issues but can potentially cause problems in the long terms as well.
  5. Reproductive and Developmental Disorders: Some studies suggest that fertility issues and developmental disorders in unborn children may be linked to prolonged exposure to welding fumes.

How to Protect the Workers in the Shopfloor?

Given the serious health hazards that are posed by welding fumes along with the obvious environmental effects, creating a clean and safe working environment for welding operators becomes a crucial task. One of the most effective methods of achieving this goal is to implement a fume extraction system for welding fumes. Here are some of the benefits of using a fume extractor.

  1. Worker Safety: The most immediate and obvious result would be providing a clean and safe workspace for the welding operators.
  2. Regulatory Compliance: Many countries have introduced strict regulations regarding workplace safety and air quality. Installing a welding fume extractor would be the quickest way to comply with these regulations.
  3. Improved Productivity: Clean air leads to a healthier workforce, which would thereby create a potential for improved productivity and operational efficiency.
  4. Cost Savings: This is more of an indirect effect where the cost of healthcare expenses and potential legal liabilities can be minimized.
  5. Environmental Responsibility: While preventing welders from being exposed to welding fumes, a fume extractor would also ensure cleaner air within the shopfloor, to a certain degree.

How can We Help?

Here at Powertech Pollution Controls, we have over 25 years of expertise in providing solutions for issues related to air pollution control. The FumeKiller® is an electrostatic filtration system and as the name suggests, its primary function is as a fume extractor. It finds use in processes like welding, soldering, brazing and even as an oil mist collector for CNC machining operations.

As a welding fume extractor, the FumeKiller® unit can be placed in a fixed location with a suction hood placed between 6 – 8 inches from the fume generation point for effective and efficient extraction of fumes. Alternatively, in situations where the welding location may change, the unit may also be manufactured in a vertical orientation with wheel mounting and equipped with our Flexible Extractor Arm, to be used as a portable fume extractor. It is a matter of great pride for Powertech that over the years, we have been able successfully implement the FumeKiller® unit as a welding fume extractor over a wide range of applications for a multitude of clients. In spite of our vast experience, we continue to approach each new project as a unique requirement and design each solution accordingly.

Conclusion:

It is important to recognize that the risks posed by the toxic fumes produced during welding processes are numerous and potentially severe. If welding operators are not sufficiently protected from these threats, they run the risk of serious health problems. Fume extraction systems are essential for protecting worker health and ensuring regulatory compliance, and not merely as a suggested safety measure. By investing in fume extraction systems like our FumeKiller® unit, businesses can prioritize employee health and safety while simultaneously fostering environmental. In the end, safeguarding employees from the unseen dangers of welding fumes is not only a moral obligation, but a wise business move as well. If you have a requirement for a fume extraction system, Enquire Now and our team will get in touch with you to work out the best possible solution.

Fumekiller

Control of Component Welding Fumes – Fumekiller® model FK3600EM as a Welding Fume Extractor

The special purpose machine has two adjacent component welding stations. The welding fume generation area is open, without any enclosure. The welding process takes place only at one station at a time. The jobs are loaded manually by a skilled operator. During welding fumes are generated which are to be captured and the pollutants in the fumes are to be filtered effectively.  

Our Fumekiller®, electrostatic filter model FK3600/3hp was suggested to be mounted on an MS Grouted pipe stand of about 5ft height positioned just behind the welding machine. Two MS painted suction hoods were placed just above the two welding stations at a convenient height after studying operational comfort as well as optimum fume suction distance. The suction hoods were connected to a common MS ducting fitted to the Fumekiller® equipment and supported from the fume extractor.

The fume extractor was switched on during the welding process. The welding fumes generated at the two component welding stations were captured by the fume extractor through the 2nos of suction hoods placed above the welding spots effectively. The fume extractor should be operational as long as the welding process is being carried out.

The welding fumes consisting of various pollutants such as manganese, chromium, nickel, and other potentially harmful elements, enter the electrostatic filter (Fumekiller®) through the air stream. The ionisation section of the filter charges all particles 0.01 micron and larger in the air stream. The air enters the collection section where the pollutants adhere to the collection plates. Pollutants as small as 0.01 micron and larger are collected. The clean air is let out at the exhaust port of the fume extractor.

It was found that for a single shift, the filters collected the pollutants for about 3 weeks before getting choked. The cleaning cycle for the filters was established at 3 weeks. Just before getting fully choked, the filter module as well as the prefilters and postfilters are removed and cleaned using pressure water pump at about 110bar pressure. The filters are dried using a compressed air jet and repositioned inside the fume extractor. Adequate training was given to the maintenance technicians to handle the equipment. All safety features were explained and demonstrated.

Visit us: https://www.powertechindia.com

Control of Brazing Fumes: Successful Implementation of FumeKiller® model FK3600EM for extraction of fumes from automatic brazing machine.

Control of Brazing Fumes: Successful Implementation of FumeKiller® model FK3600EM for extraction of fumes

Introduction:

The FumeKiller® being a flagship product of Powertech Pollution Controls, is a unit that has been proven effective time and again. In this post, we look into a project where the FumeKiller® model FK3600EM was used to successfully capture and control fumes from an automatic brazing machine.

The Challenge: Control of Fumes generated during automated brazing process.

The customer, a reputed brand in the manufacturing and engineering industry, required a fume extraction system for the automated brazing machine. Brazing, being a variation of the welding process is one that can be more easily automated but generates a similar, if not the same, quantity of fumes during the process. In this situation, the customer had an automated brazing unit that was equipped with two brazing units positioned side-by-side. The fumes generated were far enough apart that a single extraction hood would be unable to effectively capture the fumes without a very high-powered extraction system. The customer therefore required a custom designed solution that could effectively control the fumes generated from the brazing process.

The Solution: Single FumeKiller® model FK3600EM fitted with two-way split extraction hoods.

The design of the solution in this situation required not only a custom-built system but a compact one as well. After a thorough study of the work site, our team from Powertech suggested the use of the FumeKiller® model FK3600EM to be used as a welding fume extractor. The unit would be equipped with a two-way split fume extraction hood. Each hood would be positioned above one of the brazing points to extract the fumes generated from each point separately. The benefits of this proposal were as follows:

High-Efficiency and Low-Maintenance: One of the most prominent benefits of the FumeKiller® is the high efficiency of the unit(s) with fumes being filtered with over 95% efficiency. Additionally, the electrostatic filter modules require periodic cleaning and little to no other maintenance in the short term and have a lifetime of over 15 years which is greatly beneficial to any user.

Split-Point Extraction: Since the extraction system was split into two separate points, the size of the extraction hoods could be significantly reduced, allowing for a closer placement of these hoods to the fume generation points. For source extraction, the suction capacity required is directly proportional to the square of the distance of the hood from the fume generation point. This therefore, allowed for a significantly lower powered system which not reduced both the initial investment as well as the running costs for the system.

Results and Impact:

The implementation of the FumeKiller® was a success which allowed for multiple benefits to our client:

Improvement in Air Quality: Since the fumes that were generated from the process were being extracted directly from the source, the remainder of the shopfloor remained pollution free. The direct result of this was a safer and healthier work environment for the staff.

Operational Efficiency: The split point design of the fume extractor allowed for a much more efficient system at a significantly lower cost. The high efficiency of extraction of the fume extractor unit ensured that a greater portion of the generated fumes were filtered before being released into the shopfloor. Therefore, the solution provided both operational efficiency and economic benefits.

Regulatory Compliance: The successful implementation of the FumeKiller® as a welding fume extractor resulted in the customer meeting the required air quality standards within the shopfloor.

Conclusion:

The success of the project is a clear example of how we use a unique approach to every single client and provide custom built solution for each requirement. We are committed to providing every customer with the most effective, efficient, and economical solution for their air pollution control needs. With our portable fume extraction system, we were able to address the welding fume issues faced by our customer and help to enhance the air quality and thereby worker safety within the shopfloor. The transformative impact of the FumeKiller® in this project clearly demonstrated its potential to create cleaner and safer workspaces. If you are facing a challenging issue to do with air pollution control, get in touch with us today and we will work with you to find the best possible solution.