Safe, compliant dust extraction maintenance
Spending money on a new dust extraction system is a waste of money, if the system is not monitored and checked by people experienced in this equipment to ensure it’s operating as efficiently as the day it was commissioned, according to Geoff Ebdon, director at NZ Duct & Flex Limited.
“Specifying, installing and maintaining dust extractions systems is different from air conditioning. Dust filters can and do explode or catch fire. Regular servicing by experienced people who spot potential problems will pay in the long run, if only in lower power bills,” says Ebdon.
“Would you pay $80,000 for a new Ford Ranger and not service it for four years? So, why with a $80,000 dust extraction system do we try to ‘sort it’ ourselves?”
NZ Duct & Flex has sold and installed hundreds of dust filtration and fume extraction systems, in the last 15 years to improve workplace conditions for thousands of employees.
“Installing the world’s most advanced and safest filter systems, we offer a maintenance programme with every installation. Some customers think this maintenance isn’t necessary’ or choose to approach an aircon building maintenance company,” says Ebdon,
Nav Sharma oversees the preventative maintenance programme and agrees with Ebdon; he often receives an emergency call from his customers, or from companies who have purchased from another supplier, to say it’s not working.
“Without fail these issues result from inexperienced contractors changing something or interfering with the system after commissioning,” says Sharma.
It’s not sucking: Fan directions
A fan either rotates clockwise or anticlockwise, but almost unbelievably up to 70% of them are wired up going backwards. If not correctly maintained, they might go backwards for many years, producing 20% of the extraction they should, even when signed off every year by the building maintenance company. This leaves ducting full of dust and debris – a health and a fire hazard.
Those cartridges could do with another clean
The cartridges used inside a filter to capture dust and fumes are expensive and designed for a specific dust and fume type when installed. They should last for many years.
NZ Duct & Flex has had calls from dissatisfied customers who have had ‘an expert’ in to check their system. However, on visiting the site they found:
• Socks taken out, cleaned, but not refitted properly, so dust escapes over complaining neighbours and staff.
• Presented a $6000 dollar quote, including crane hire, for access to the top of a filter to re-hang four socks. NZ Duct & Flex staff simply opened the access door and did this in “two minutes” for free.
• Blasted filter cartridges with an air wand to remove the dust cake that is supposed to be there.
• Washed filter socks every year so they shrank or even dry-cleaned them.
• Emailed a supplier in Europe for six new cartridges at $650 each plus $2000 freight. These were not needed, but someone had disconnected the compressed air to the cleaning system.
If you are replacing socks or cartridges every year, then your filter system was not sized correctly originally, or the people maintaining the filter lack experience.
“If any of the above apply to your company, maybe you need talk to properly trained experienced people,” says Ebdon.
“Our installation and service staff are all full-time permanent staff of the company and know what to look for – they only do dust and fume extraction – 48 weeks a year. They don’t just tick boxes and write down model numbers. They are on site installing extraction systems every day of the week and know exactly how systems should be performing.”
Just as you wouldn’t ask a building inspector to service the Ranger, Ebdon says that companies should refer to the original supplier of a dust filtration installation for advice and the long term most economical support.
“Annual preventative maintenance checks are not expensive and the team from NZ Duct & Flex will ensure you will be looked after – not just on the day of the inspection, but also throughout the year before we visit again. The full report sent is accepted by WorkSafe, or your insurance company, as proof your health and safety obligations are met as well as being able to meet your production deadlines more efficiently.”
Sponsored content: For more information visit www.nzduct.co.nz or call 0508 69 38 28.