On September 13th, 2016 at 2 PM EDT, EXAIR will be presenting a FREE webinar. During the short presentation, we will be covering the OSHA Standards for the safe use of compressed air when used for cleaning purposes.
The first topic we will discuss will pertain to the OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.242 (b) limiting the outlet pressure of an open pipe, tube, air gun, nozzle, etc. to less than 30 PSIG. When dead ended against the skin, air pressure above 30 PSI, can introduce air flow into the body, otherwise known as an air embolism. An air embolism can be an extremely dangerous condition which can cause serious injury, such as a stroke or possibly death.
Secondly, we will discuss the OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.95(a) for permissible noise exposure levels. In the Standard, OSHA has set exposure limits (in hours) for varying sound levels (dBA). When employees are subjected to sounds in excess of the limiting guidelines, some type of engineered controls should be used to reduce the sound level exposure. We will provide some useful statistics, as well as help you identify some common culprits found in many processes.
Lastly, we will show you how EXAIR provides engineered solutions that address both dead end pressure and noise exposure levels. All of EXAIR‘s blowoff devices feature some type of relief so if the exhaust airflow were somehow blocked or pressed against the skin, there is always a safe path for the air to exit, so the discharge pressure never exceeds 30 PSI. In addition, we will explain how our products reduce wind shear, ultimately lowering the sound level, save energy and help you gain OSHA compliance to avoid costly fines.
I recently received an inquiry from a customer to test their current air guns through our Efficiency Lab service. According to the operators, the handheld blow gun they were purchasing from a commercial retailer was too loud and complaints were rolling in. They were also hoping to save some compressed air in the process as they were performing an energy audit at the same time.
Commercial Air Gun w/ Cross Cut HoleCross Cut Hole Nozzle
The gun they sent in looked fairly similar to our Precision Safety Air Gun but it did not have an engineered nozzle on the tip of it. Instead, it was simply a cross cut hole in a piece of material. The air inlet to the gun was a 1/4″ NPT just like our Precision Safety Air Gun, the extension on the gun was slightly longer, the only significant variance I saw was the tip.
EXAIR Model 1410SS-CSThe Model 1110SS Nao Super Air Nozzle and Chip Shield
To try and get as much information as possible I measured the O.D. and I.D. of the extension, the hole size was approximately .140″. I measured the extension on our Precision Safety Air Gun just to see what is different, it came in at the same size. So, I flow tested the competitive blow gun with their tip on it and came up with air consumption of 12.69 SCFM, noise level of 92 dBA at 3′ away, and a blowing force of 11.5 oz at 80 psig. I then measured the same attributes of EXAIR’s model 1410SS-CS Precision Safety Air Gun at 80 psig inlet pressure. The model 1410SS-CS measured 8.3 SCFM, gave 8.1 ozs of working force, and only produced a 75 dBA sound level from 3′ away.
The sound level reduction was a total of 17 dBA which is below the OSHA standard for allowable noise level exposure, as well as reduced their air consumption by 4.39 SCFM. That is almost a 35% reduction in their compressed air usage per gun replaced. After seeing these levels of reduction the customer had more than enough information to provide management with in order to replace the blow guns not just for noise level reduction but also because it will reduce air use and save money. A clear supportive role in their energy audit.
Last week I took a call from a pipe and tube manufacturer who was looking for a solution for two problem areas within their process of manufacturing 1″ pipe.
First, they were removing moisture from the outside of the pipe after a rinse cycle, to prepare the material for painting. To remove the water, they had an operator with a hand held blow gun and shop rag who blows off the residual fluid, then manually wipes it clean. This process added time to their process, reduced overall production and increased labor.
Since 1″ schedule 40 pipe has a 1.3″ outside diameter, I recommended they use our 2″ Super Air Wipe for this particular part of the process. The Super Air Wipe produces a 360° ring of air to clean, cool or dry the outside surface of a hose, tube, pipe, etc. as it passes through the center of the unit. Installation is simple as the unit features a split design which can easily be clamped around the material, with the need to remove it from the machine.
Super Air Wipes are available from 1/2 up to 11″.
The second issue they were experiencing was as they cut the pipe to length, they are seeing the cutting fluid and scrap chips settle on the inside which again requires the same operator to manually clean this surface as well. I recommended using our Back Blow Air Gun Model # 1204SS-12-CS Soft Grip Safety Air Gun with Model 1004SS Atto Back Blow Nozzle, 12″ aluminum extension and Chip Shield. The Back Blow Nozzle’s airflow is directed away from the nozzle and provides a 360° ring of air, making it the ideal choice for blowing out the I.D. of a pipe. With this particular design, you eliminate the risk of blowing the chips and fluid out of the far end or pushing debris farther into the pipe. It also prevents the potential of blowing debris toward other personnel or machinery. The Chip Shield protects the operator from the particulate being removed for the inside area.
Unique Design For Treating Inside Diameter of Pipe
If you have any questions about these products or would like to discuss your particular application, give us a call so we can help.
Have you just glanced around your manufacturing plant? You usually always see either the “curly” yellow hose or a red rubber hose with an air gun attached to it. They hang at work stations, machines, packaging areas, and even in obscure places. The reason that I bring this up is for safety reasons.
Recently we had a medium-sized manufacturing plant that was audited by OSHA. One of the first violations that OSHA found was with their compressed air guns with the typical brass pipe with the hole going through the side (one of the most typical types of nozzle). It violated code 29 CFR 1910.65(a) for maximum allowable noise exposure. The company had to make a choice to either purchase hearing protection for the operators or to find an alternative product. They contacted us because we could reduce their noise level. I suggested a Super Air Nozzle, model 1100 for their application. When they attached our Super Air Nozzle into their air gun, they quickly heard the difference with the low noise. With the added benefits of quality, high force, and meeting all the safety requirements, they decided to purchase the nozzles with our Safety Air Guns. They ordered 90 pieces of our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun with Chip Shield, model 1210-CS. This took care of the OSHA violation, and the operators were very happy with the product.
Model 1210-CS
Another company was using compressed air with a ¼ turn valve attached to a 36” (91 cm) copper tubing. They used this device to reach into areas to blow off chips. The Safety Compliance Officer was familiar with OSHA 29CFR 1910.242(b). The regulation references chip shields and using pressures below 30 psig (2 bar). Compressed air can enter the blood stream through the skin with pressures above 30 psig (2 bar) in a dead-end occurrence. To keep his workers safe, he mandated a maximum supply line pressure of 30 psig (2 bar) throughout the plant. This increased the cleanup time for an operation as the force was reduced greatly. The Safety Compliance Officer contacted us about our Safety Air Guns. I explained that with our nozzles, they are engineered to operate at higher supply line pressures and still be below the dead-end pressure requirement of 30 psig (2 bar). With our design, it keeps the surface of your skin from blocking the air openings, like you can do with a copper tubing. They ordered 25 pieces of our Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun with a 36” (91 cm) extension and Chip Shield, model 1310-36-CS. The operators were happy with the durability of the gun and with the ability to increase the air pressure for faster cleaning. The Safety Compliance Officer was happy to meet the OSHA standard and to keep his workers safe.
Model 1310-36-CS
EXAIR offers a variety of different types of nozzles and Safety Air Guns to fit the requirements of your applications. All of our nozzles are safe, quiet, and powerful. We offer them in different materials from aluminum/zinc, stainless steel, and PEEK. They are designed to entrain ambient air to save compressed air and money. As a note, an air gun is only as good as the nozzle it is using. Many air guns come with a very inexpensive brand of nozzle. They are typically very loud and very inefficient. I always like to use the analogy of a paint sprayer. No matter how good the spray gun is, if you have a poor nozzle, you will end up with many flaws in your paint. The same can be said with compressed air guns.
To keep your company compliant and safe, you can always contact an Application Engineers to help pick the correct product for you.
