Many companies have air quality issues dotted around the site that are now being picked up by regulatory authorities. Fume arms are one of the simplest, quickest and economical ways to solve a polluted air issue, due to their effectiveness in the way they can capture and contain the impurities close to where they are being generated.
Workshops around the country have relied upon a fan in the roof or open doors either end of the workshop so the wind can provide the ‘extraction’. But this means you remove the fumes once the operator has already breathed them in and they then exit the building via the breathing space of all the other employees downwind. It can also result in a very cold place to work during the winter months, leading to more staff absence and resulting loss in productivity.
This was never common sense and is no longer acceptable practice.
The installation of a fume arm, pulled into position so that the pollutants are captured almost immediately, is the most efficient way to improve working conditions and these can either be installed with their own fan or, if the existing extract system is powerful enough, they can be incorporated into the main system.
Fume arms being nearer the problem, means they require a lot less air through them than a large hood above the worker. They also require smaller duct size, a smaller fan and end in smaller power bills. In fact a ‘hood solution’ means, once again, the welder or bag filler has already been exposed to the fumes prior to removal above his head, the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve.
“Avoiding welding fumes travelling or mixing with good air is key,” says Matt Darnbrough, NZ Duct+Flex South Island Sales Manager, “and our in house installation team are able to provide solutions very efficiently. Dealing with the issues where the fumes are generated really does sort out the environmental air quality for all staff.
“Having our own install employees and Engineering Manager instead of using contractor’s saves the customer time and ensures a fully compliant result,” comments Geoff Ebdon, Sales Manager for NZ Duct+Flex. “Also, despite pre install inspections and site plans being prepared, things always change slightly when the final install starts: for example people forget that there is a beam in the way or the exit through the wall has had to move! Having our own staff installing means they have a vested interest in doing the job once, correctly and to the standards, ensuring compliance.”
North Canterbury electricity lines company, MainPower New Zealand Limited have just purchased a Fume Arm (160mm diameter with three-metre reach) with a small quantity of Liplock® galvanised modular ducting, to connect the Fume Arm to a venting system already running in their Rangiora workshop.
“Safety and health is intrinsic in everything that MainPower does. Our goal is for everyone that works for us to go home safe, healthy and well,” says MainPower’s Safety Health Environment & Quality Manager Dayle Parris. “We recognised the NZ Duct fume arm as a further improvement on our existing system.”
“Our Fume Arms are proving very popular due to the external hinging so there is less restriction to the airflow inside the tube,” confirms Geoff Ebdon. “Also, if hinging is on the inside, then all the muck passes over the hinge and they get damaged or jam up and you have to take the arm apart to clean them. We also have metal hoods and sleeves not plastic, with an all round grab handle and dampener so the hoods are easily manoeuvred to the best position – meaning the welder will use them!”
Quality powder coated steel tubes made in Europe and a full range of sizes from 75mm one metre reach, up to 160mm four metre reach are in stock available for immediate delivery.
Contact at NZ DUCT+FLEX 09 276 8020 or email info@nzduct.co.nz for further information.
