Page 36 - Occupational Health & Safety, May 2017

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE/WELDING
■ Make sure to have a consistent schedule for procuring and installing spare parts and conducting regular service.
■ Allow for regular system checks of the cleaning program within the program- mable logic controller (PLC) and the differ- ential pressure monitoring system.
■ Ensure that employees are not over- exposed to airborne dust and contaminants during filter maintenance activities. Take any proactive measures necessary to pro- tect against overexposures. such as using protective equipment, disposable coveralls, and/or respiratory protection.
6. What factors affect filter disposal?
Proper protocol should be followed when disposing of a used filter. Depend- ing on what elements have built up on the filter, you may have to treat it as a hazard- ous material. It’s important to understand the correct method for disposal because this can have an effect on the overall cost of operation. Answer these questions when determining proper fume exhaust filter dis- posal for your welding application.
■ What is your company’s or facility’s hazardous waste generator status?
■ Do you have sufficient generator
knowledge to “profile” the waste stream?
■ Do you need to perform testing to determine what the hazardous waste
codes are?
■ Do you know the federal, state, and
local regulations related to disposal?
If your team is not experienced with these issues, contact a qualified local en- vironmental consultant or your state en- vironmental regulatory agency (EPA) for guidance on the requirements of your
state’s environmental rules.
Factors That Could
Adversely Affect Filter Life
In addition to the usual factors that de- grade filter effectiveness over time, there are additional factors that can actually shorten filter life:
■ Contaminants can enter the com- pressed air system, which in turn make their way into the fume control system. Keep your compressed air system as clean, dry, and oil free as possible.
■ Additives to the base metal. Be aware of any oily process or coatings (such as anti- spatter agents, rust preventatives, etc.) that have been applied to the base metal. These have a high probability of vaporizing and entering your fume control system.
Fume control is an integral part of any welding operation, and proper filtering is critical to an effective fume control sys- tem. Safe execution of filter replacement and proper fume exhaust system main- tenance can help ensure employees are not overexposed to airborne particulates. This will result in a cleaner, safer, more ef- ficient, and more productive manufactur- ing operation.
Jason A. Lange is Manager-Automation Inside Sales for Lincoln Electric. He is re- sponsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s quoting, design, and project management teams for environmental and robotic product lines.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.nafahq.org/understanding- mer v/
2. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equip- ment/weld-fume-control/Pages/filter-replace- ment-chart.aspx
3. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equip- ment/weld-fume-control/Pages/preventive- maintenance.aspx
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