When particular types of dust gather, they represent a fire/explosion threat. When inflammable dusts combine with oxygen, those such as sawdust, aluminium powder, flour or soot, even just a spark from a motor can cause them to burn, and perhaps explode. This fire is, at first, more than likely harmless, however this may contribute to the start of a chain reactions which could become out of control, due to more of the dust in the air. Therefore it is particularly important to keep a clean work area, to in turn minimize the risk of an explosion.
Many industrial locations such as mines, factories, agricultural silos, oil and gas platforms, chemical processing and other such facilities could pose as potential explosive atmospheres. Nilfisk aims to advise all its customers about the ATEX directive due to the potential risk involved in operating machinery – electrical or mechanical, in a potentially explosive atmosphere. Nilfisk Advance urges everyone to become accustomed to these facts and to therefore promote a high standard of safety at all times for all those concerned.
Hence, when cleaning is to be undertaken in an area where there is potential for fire, and indeed explosion, it is crucially important that an ATEX certified machine is used in that zone. This is because the dust in question, may not be the same undisruptive normal household dust, similarly, even though solid metals, for example – aluminium, are inflammable, the dust from the exact same material can be enormously flammable, and within particular conditions be explosive. This ATEX legislation is aimed from Nilfisk Advance to both the manufacturers and users of such machinery.
The instruction, made under European law, makes it compulsory, from when a zone has been classed as having the potential for explosion, solely electrical and mechanical equipment which is ATEX certified by a notified body may be used.
Nilfisk Advance, like all conscientious equipment manufacturers wishes to place first-class safety and protection on all employees working with, or in the vicinity of potentially explosive environments. Nilfisk Advance have made sure particular care has went into the design and construction of the Nilfisk range of industrial vacuum cleaners, and there are ATEX certified Nilfisk machines available for use in ATEX work zones. Each machine has been adapted to meet the safety requirements of the ATEX area for which it is intended to be used in. However, it is the responsibility of the customer to make sure that machines are used in designated zoned areas.
Industrial vacuum cleaners, generally, are large 3 - Phase vacs or pneumatic units for use in ATEX zoned areas, used for collecting large amount of dust and debris. However, there also exists a more flexible unit for those carrying out light-duty applications. The Nilfisk IVB 7X meets this requirement. It can be plugged into any normal electrical output, and as it is ATEX approved it is suited for use in ATEX Zone 22. The devise is very effective in providing fast, mobile cleaning or smaller areas.
The characteristics of the dust or the gas determine the type of ATEX equipment needed to be used in each individual zone. A component person should do a risk assessment in which they can identify specific zones or areas where controls over ignition sources are required, and where they are not. If the area does pose a hazard, then it will be categorized into a particular zone to distinguish if the risk of explosion is either high or low, or if the risk of an explosive atmosphere occurring is only in abnormal circumstances. If there is no in house capability for carrying out a risk assessment then it is the company's responsibility, not the responsibility of the equipment manager, to hire an independent consultant to determine the classification of the area.
Please remember to use all equipment with compliant ATEX approved antistatic hosing and tubes that are conductive from floor tool to machine inlet.
Happy cleaning!
The above article is supplied by http://www.nilfix.co.uk an independant providor of professional cleaning equipment by Nilfisk Advance.