If you work in a manufacturing facility such as a metalworking plant, you’re probably already aware of the basic federal requirements for your indoor air quality. Welding and various other metalworking operations generate a plethora of debris, which can pose serious health threats to employees and workers. At  Bisco Enterprise, our professionals understand how important the indoor air quality is to the success of your business, which is why we offer the best air cleaning and dust collection products available. Contact us today to learn more about our air purification systems!

Air Quality Issues In Manufacturing Facilities

Most air quality issues in metalworking plants can be traced back to weld smoke and hazardous fumes. The toxicity of smoke and fumes will depend on the type of welding process being performed as well as the material of the base and filler metals being used. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, acute exposure to welding fumes can result in eye, nose, and throat irritation as well as dizziness and nausea. If employees are exposed to these fumes for an extended amount of time, it can lead to a variety of serious health issues. Welding fumes can cause lung damage and improve your risk of lung cancer and larynx cancer. Common health effects from metalworking fumes can include:

• Metal fume fever
• Kidney damage
• Nervous system damage
• Stomach ulcers

Throughout the welding process, three airborne hazards should be of concern:

• Oil mist, a common natural byproduct of the metalworking process, posses slip and fall hazards for employees on the floor. In addition to these safety hazards, oil mist exposure has been shown to cause respiratory illnesses, allergies, skin ailments, and even cancer.
• Hexavalent chromium or Cr(VI) is often formed during the welding process of chromium components. The fumes produced are highly toxic and too much exposure could result in damage to the eyes, skin, throat, nose, and lungs.
• Manganese, a trace element found in almost all types of welding plants, can affect the central nervous system of your brain. If you are exposed to an exorbitant amount of manganese, you are at risk of changes in your neuropsychological and neurobehavioral functions.

Improving Air Quality In Manufacturing & Metalworking Facilities

Even the cleanest of manufacturing and metalworking facilities are subject to poor and hazardous indoor air quality. With harmful pollutants emanating from a variety of sources, including raw materials, production process, and extra-strong cleaning products, it can seem almost impossible to avoid air quality problems all together. At Bisco Enterprise, our air quality control experts recommend that all metalworking plants take a three-pronged approach to improving their indoor air quality.

1. Work to completely eliminate or reduce fumes and hazardous air particles through processes or engineering controls. These may include the regular cleaning of welding surfaces and repositioning workers so they can avoid breathing in harmful fumes and gases.
2. Extract dangerous fumes and air particles from the air through commercial ventilation systems.
3. Filter all particulate and fumes to be discharged outside of your workspace.

If you’ve been using giant fans or opening plant doors to let hazardous smoke and fumes escape from your facility, consider looking into commercial machines built to extract fumes, gases, and particulate from the indoor air. At Bisco Enterprise, we’re proud to offer a large selection of dust collectors, fume collectors, and mist collectors to help keep dangerous fumes and particles at bay in your facility. Browse our air purifiers online today or give our experts a call to learn more!

Manufacturing Air Pollution Ailments

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is a major environment-related health threat to adults and a risk factor for both acute and chronic respiratory disease. While second-hand tobacco smoke and certain outdoor pollutants are known risk factors for respiratory infections, indoor air pollution from solid fuels is one of the major contributors to the global burden of disease. In poorly ventilated dwellings, indoor smoke can be 100 times higher than acceptable levels for small particles. While you may feel these microscopic particles are harmless, if swallowed or inhaled, they can lead to ailments such as:

Eye, Nose & Throat Irritation

If you’re employees are complaining of eye, nose or throat irritation while on the job, it could be time to invest in a new air purification system. While these are often short-term ailments, if left untreated, air particulates could damage your respiratory tract and cause serious health problems to employees.

Asthma

If you already suffer from asthma, air pollution can make your symptoms much worse. Since air particulate such as dust, pollen, and smoke can trigger an asthma attack, breathing in hazardous smoke and fumes will only make your throat and lungs work harder.

Heart Disease

According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association, exposure to air pollutants can contribute to cardiovascular illness and mortality. Medical researchers are particularly concerned about pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns. These small particles have been linked to irritation of the lungs and blood vessels surrounding the heart.

Air Cleaning & Dust Collection Solutions

Contaminants that are generated from the metalworking industry can come from a variety of places. Metal grindings can be found on the surface of components and these hazardous airborne contaminants fall into three broad categories.

• Mists and fumes from the metalworking machines. The amount of coolant smoke and mist that is generated will likely depend on the size of the stock, the type of machine performing the process, the rotational speed of the operation, and the depth of the cut. More often than not, the larger the stock, the faster the rotation and the deeper the cut. This can result in heavy smoke and coolant mist emissions. At Bisco Enterprise, we’re proud to offer our manufacturing and metalworking clients the best in dust collection systems and mist collection systems. Browse our air cleaning systems online today!
• Dust and fine particulate from the drying processing machines and cutting applications. These kinds of emissions tend to be metal oxides which are similar in size to those generated in the metal welding process.
• Buffing and polishing operations can produce three main kinds of contaminants: fine grit from abrasive wheels, fibers from the buffing wheels, and wax-like powders from rouge. These particulate can become combustible and even explosive when collected.

If you work in the manufacturing or metalworking industry and need help finding the best air pollution control solutions for your facility, contact the experts at Bisco Enterprise today! We offer an impressive selection of  dust collectors and fume arms and we’re dedicated your complete satisfaction.

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The Clean Air Act of 1970

In order to protect public health and welfare across the nation, the Clean Air Act was implemented in 1970, with major revisions made in 1977 and 1990. This law required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish national air quality standards for widespread pollutants. The EPA has since set six common air quality standards including particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead. Of these six pollutants, particulate matter and ground-level ozone are the most dangerous when it comes to health threats. States are now required to enforce plans to achieve and maintain proper air quality standards, minimizing the amount of pollution being exposed to employees and the environment. 

In an attempt to reduce pollution from the above contaminants, the Clean Air Act requires manufacturers to build cleaner engines and to use cleaner sources of fuel. Alternative fuels for transportation such as natural gas, propane, methanol, and biodiesel have been shown to reduce the risk of harmful emissions.

Bisco Enterprise is proud to be a leading provider of  air cleaning solutions and dust collection products for a variety of industries. With more than 40 years of experience in industrial applications, we would love to help you find an efficient and affordable air cleaning solution that meets your needs and budget.