by Erin Long | Jun 5, 2019 | Case Studies
A sawmill company with facilities in Pennsylvania and New York had a challenging dust problem. Fine sawdust from their band mills was filling the air. The constant production of dust created an unpleasant work environment for employees. As a result, the facility needed a form of sawdust collection.
Ryan is responsible for creating a better, healthier environment for sawmill employees. But he wasn’t going to rush in with a hasty solution. He was going to take the time to do it right. So he would work with equipment suppliers to design the system his company needed.
In the process of designing a dust collection system, Ryan worked with Hermance Machine Company. Through them, he learned about Imperial Systems, Inc and their BRF baghouses. In addition to the BRF, he also looked at the products made by several competitors to compare them.
Ryan paid a visit to Imperial Systems. He got a chance to look at the BRF baghouse and the manufacturing process. “I saw a good product,” he says. He also liked the idea of working with a local company.
Ryan had been working on the air filtration project for several years. He planned out the ductwork, fans, and other details of the system. A significant part of the investment would be the baghouses. So it was important to choose the right company to build them.
Sawdust Collection Solution
Imperial Systems provided Ryan’s company with two reverse-air 14-foot BRF baghouses as well as airlocks, one for each of the two locations.
“Having this system has completely changed the environment of the sawmill,” Ryan says. “It’s gone from being a poor environment for employees to having crystal clear air.”
Ryan has succeeded in his goal of making the sawmills a better, healthier place to work for everyone. He says that the BRF baghouses are working exactly as he expected them to. He’s certainly satisfied with the help and service Imperial Systems has provided. This includes working with him through some glitches to make sure everything works the way he needs it to.
At Imperial Systems we take pride in working with our customers throughout the process, and our service doesn’t stop when the equipment install is complete. We’re there to work with you, iron out any bugs, and help you meet your air quality and safety goals. Sawdust collection is only one of many applications for which we have solutions. So contact us today about your challenging dust or fume problem.
Learn more about woodworking dust collection.
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by Erin Long | Jun 4, 2019 | Abrasive Blasting
The Problem
Abrasive blast equipment operation continued to be a problem for a pipe manufacturer in Arkansas. The company produces pipe for water, gas, oil, and other industrial markets. They use abrasive blast cabinets in their production to clean the metal surfaces. Round steel shot is the abrasive blast media. However, this fugitive material accumulated in the facility. Their existing dust collector was also pulling it up into the ductwork. As a result, the weight strained the duct.
Further, the company required a system to handle multiple capture points on equipment like bucket elevators and hoppers. They needed to replace the existing dust collector. Initially, they received quotes from other companies who told them they needed a 9,000 CFM system. Unconvinced, the company chose to contact more experienced dust collection experts. They asked the specialists at Air Solutions to come in and review the situation. They wanted to eliminate their problems with a properly designed abrasive blast dust collector system.
The Solution
Air Solutions conducted a survey and decided that the system must be rated for 11,000 CFM. It also needed to have air bleed-in ports to keep the system from picking up the steel shot. This arrangement would allow the adjustment of airflow. The control measure ensures that the system picks up dust and other material but not the abrasive blast media.
The survey also determined that existing dust collection on capture points like bucket elevators and feed hoppers was inadequate. So the new system provided dust collection at these points as well as on all the abrasive blast cabinets.
Air Solutions installed a CMAXX dust and fume collection system. They designed an 11,000 CFM system to provide plenty of airflow to all the points of capture. Also, they incorporated air-bleed ports. Enabling adjustability of the airflow, these prevent the system from picking up heavier shot blast media.
Abrasive Blast Equipment No Longer a Concern
The new system certainly creates proper airflow to all capture points on the system. The company uses the bleed-in ports to adjust the amount of ambient air being pulled in. Airflow is now adjustable, helping to make sure they capture dust, not shot blast media.
Increasing the airflow from the proposed 9,000 CFM to 11,000 CFM was key. It makes sure the system is able to handle all the capture points. In addition, the bleed-in ports provide the option to control airflow at various points. The result is complete control over the system and a safer work environment.
Learn more about abrasive and shot blast dust collection.
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by Erin Long | May 30, 2019 | Uncategorized
Manganese is a common metal, and the human body needs it in very small amounts to stay healthy. However, excessive manganese exposure causes serious neurological problems. This is most likely to happen to welders and other metalworkers. You can find manganese as an alloy in steel and sometimes aluminum. Consequently, welding or cutting these metals can release dangerous amounts of manganese.
Limits are already low on health hazards like beryllium and respirable crystalline silica. Manganese is likely to be one of the next materials to see increased regulation. It’s not the only welding exposure that workers need to be concerned about. But it’s another good reason to manage weld fume exposure.
Where would I find manganese in metalworking?
Modern steel production relies on manganese to remove oxygen and sulfur compounds. Many types of steel include it because as an alloy, it makes steel stronger. This means that welding or cutting fumes from steel are likely to contain manganese. In addition, welding manganese exposure can come from manganese contained in welding rods.
Manganese is also used as an alloy with aluminum, where it protects from corrosion. This is not a major source of exposure for metalworkers in general, though. This type of aluminum alloy is popular for food and beverage containers.
What are the limits on manganese exposure?
OSHA’s limit on manganese exposure is 5mg/m3 over an eight-hour workday. NIOSH, the research branch of OSHA, has looked at recent studies. As a result, they recommended a limit of no more than 1mg/m3 over the same period of time.
One research study in 2016 found that over many years of working as a welder, manganese could cause serious neurological symptoms. This is true for exposure levels as low as mg/m3 . The study also found that higher levels of welding exposure to manganese caused more symptoms.
This research shows that just following OSHA regulations may not be enough to prevent manganese exposure symptoms from metalworking.
What are some manganese exposure symptoms?
Manganism is the most severe symptom. This condition of manganese exposure looks like Parkinson’s disease. Specifically, one experiences tremors, balance problems, weakness, and problems with muscle control. Following current OSHA standards, exposure should not be high enough to cause this condition.
However, many researchers find that even at exposure levels much lower than OSHA standards, welders still develop symptoms. Said researchers include the Washington University School of Medicine. These manganese exposure symptoms include muscle stiffness in arms and legs and problems with balance and coordination.
Symptoms take time to appear and usually happen after years of exposure. Although, one could attribute them to just getting old. For this reason, research is needed to show that manganese exposure could cause them.
NIOSH reviewed research on occupational health hazards, leading to a recommendation of lowering the exposure limit. Their findings indicate that welders develop these symptoms faster and more severely than non-welders. Most importantly, even at levels much lower than OSHA standards.
How do you control metalworker exposure to manganese? 
Fumes from welding and cutting metal are hazardous to breathe. Manganese exposure is just one concern. However, because it can cause neurological damage at very low levels, it’s an important issue.
Manage exposure to weld fumes with a well-designed dust and fume collection system. One solution is to use hoods, fume arms, or downdraft tables. These are all types of source capture, and they clear the air around the welder’s breathing space.
Many laser or plasma cutting tables are also downdraft tables and pull fumes down and into the dust and fume collection system.
Fumes can escape from welding stations or cutting tables. An ambient system can filter all the air in the workplace to remove these escaped fumes. As a result, the haze of smoke that some facilities have in the work area is eliminated.
To prevent welders and other metalworkers’ exposure to manganese and other hazardous fumes, contact Imperial Systems. You can also visit the product page to learn more about the CMAXX dust and fume collector.
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by Erin Long | May 23, 2019 | Uncategorized
Dust Safety Science Podcast: Changes in the Dust Collection Equipment Landscape with Jeremiah Wann
“In this episode of the DustSafetyScience Podcast, we interview Jeremiah Wann, President of Imperial Systems, Inc., in Mercer, Pennsylvania, about changes in the dust collection equipment landscape.
Imperial Systems, Inc. is a manufacturer of dust collection equipment and related safety systems. In his position as president of the company, Jeremiah has seen a lot of changes in the field over the past couple of decades, so he talks about:
- How the landscape has changed for dust collectors and other dust-related safety equipment
- How awareness has increased among his clients
- The importance of getting your equipment tested as a manufacturer
- Difficult situations where the customer is hesitant about installing combustible dust safety equipment
Jeremiah’s discussion has immense value because he brings a different perspective to the combustible dust safety issue. He is not a consultant, and he doesn’t serve on any NFPA boards. He is representative of a group that includes facility managers, equipment operators, equipment manufacturers, and insurance companies, and has an experience-based understanding that has enabled him to write several blog posts about combustible dust standards and measurement systems.”
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by Erin Long | May 15, 2019 | Uncategorized
In 2008, the OSHA National Emphasis Program on Combustible Dust became official. As a result, this left many people asking what a “national emphasis program” means. Does it require businesses to take any action? Moreover, does it create any new fines or penalties?
One thing has become clear since 2008: the National Emphasis Program OSHA instituted has some teeth. While businesses cannot be fined under the Combustible Dust NEP, OSHA inspectors are using other regulations to fine companies for combustible dust issues.
Why did they create the National Emphasis Program?
Safety organizations like the Chemical Safety Board have been pushing for an OSHA combustible dust standard. To this end, they cite several disasters related to combustible dust. In many of these cases, the obvious hazards should have been addressed.
The strongest push came after three major accidents that all happened in 2003. First, West Pharmaceuticals had plastic dust accumulated in the ceiling which ignited, killing six people. Second, CTA Acoustics had a buildup of resin dust which caught fire and caused seven fatalities. Third, Hayes Lemmerz suffered multiple explosions of aluminum dust. Aluminum dust is a well-known hazard that should be managed.
The OSHA NEP did not create any new standards. But it did inform federal and state inspectors how they could focus on combustible dust and standards that already existed. Companies should already be following these standards. So inspectors can issue fines for them.
The OSHA National Emphasis Program also creates educational materials about combustible dust. These are available on OSHA’s website. They explain the basics of combustible dust hazards and ways to reduce the risks.
What does the OSHA National Emphasis Program do?
The OSHA NEP puts a focus on inspecting companies that handle or create combustible dust. There is no specific combustible dust rule that OSHA can fine a company for violating. However, under this program, OSHA has been issuing some serious fines using existing rules.
Federal inspectors found over 4,900 infractions during combustible dust related inspections. This is according to OSHA in the year after the National Emphasis Program was put into place. Since there is no specific combustible dust standard to violate, most of the violations fell into these categories:
How do these rules relate to the OSHA National Emphasis Program and combustible dust?
Hazard communication rules state that for any hazardous material, there must be plans in place for handling it. The employer must communicate this plan to all employees. Further, everyone must be aware of the steps for handling the material safely.
Employers may be in violation of this rule if they do not make their employees aware of a combustible dust hazard. In addition, they must implement a plan for managing the hazard.
Housekeeping rules and combustible dust make sense. The OSHA NEP can be enforced when a facility fails to keep up with housekeeping. For example, keeping dust off floors and flat surfaces. Allowing combustible dust to gather causes many dust explosions. At the same time, this provides fuel for secondary explosions.
Citations for electrical issues related to combustible dust focus on faulty electronics or wiring. As a consequence, these could provide an ignition source for combustible dust. Airborne dust that meets an electrical spark can ignite and cause an explosion.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) citations under the OSHA NEP happen when workers are exposed to various dust hazards without PPE. This might include respirators or skin protection.
OSHA has many rules involving the placement and inspection of fire extinguishers. Likewise, employers can be cited during an OSHA NEP inspection for breaches of these.
Hazard-free Workplace
The General Duty Clause states that an employer “shall furnish to each of his employees a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees”.
This is very broad. Under this rule, the OSHA National Emphasis Program can cite employers for any situation that puts employees at risk, including combustible dust.
One major reason? “OSHA found that the majority of facilities inspected under the NEP had dust collectors located inside the buildings without proper explosion protection systems”.
What does the OSHA Combustible Dust NEP mean for employers?
The National Emphasis Program does not put any new rules on employers. However, it does allow OSHA inspectors to inspect based on possible combustible dust hazards. This means that any type of workplace handling combustible dust can face an OSHA NEP audit.
If you have no safety violations in any of the areas listed above, you probably will not be cited under the OSHA Combustible Dust NEP. Most of OSHA’s citations under this standard have been “serious” or “willful.” In other words, putting employees in real danger or knowingly ignoring an existing hazard.
To make sure, now would be a good time to contact Imperial Systems, Inc about our ServiceMAXX program. We can inspect and review your existing dust collection system. Then you can address problems to make sure employees and the workplace are safe.
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