Tag: OSHA safe

EXAIR and the Hierarchy of Controls

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) published a useful guide called “Hierarchy of Controls” that details (5) different types of control methods for exposure to occupational hazards while showing the relative effectiveness of each method.

NIOSH_Hierarchy_of_Controls
Hierarchy of Controls

 

The least effective methods are Administrative Controls and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Administrative Controls involve making changes to the way people perform the work and promoting safe practices through training. The training could be related to correct operating procedures, keeping the workplace clean, emergency response to incidents, and personal hygiene practices, such as proper hand washing after handling hazardous materials. PPE is the least effective method because the equipment (ear plugs, gloves, respirators, etc.) can become damaged, may be uncomfortable and not used, or used incorrectly.

In the middle range of effectiveness is Engineering Controls. These controls are implemented by design changes to the equipment or process to reduce or eliminate the hazard. Good engineering controls can be very effective in protecting people regardless of the the actions and behaviors of the workers. While higher in initial cost than Administrative controls or PPE, typically operating costs are lower, and a cost saving may be realized in the long run.

The final two, Elimination and Substitution are the most effective but can be the most difficult to integrate into an existing process. If the process is still in the design phase, it may be easier and less expensive to eliminate or substitute the hazard. Elimination of the hazard would be the ultimate and most effective method, either by removing the hazard altogether, or changing the work process so the hazard is no longer part of the process.

EXAIR can help your company follow the Hierarchy of Controls, and eliminate, or substitute the hazards of compressed air use with relative ease. 

Home of Intelligent Compressed Air Products

Engineers can eliminate loud and unsafe pressure nozzles with designs that utilize quiet and intelligent compressed air products such as Air Nozzles, Air Knives and Air Amplifiers. Also, unsafe existing products such as air guns, can be substituted with EXAIR engineered solutions that meet the OSHA standards 29 CFR 1910.242(b) and 29 CFR 1910.95(a).

In summary, Elimination and Substitution are the most effective methods and should be used whenever possible to reduce or eliminate the hazard and keep people safe in the workplace. EXAIR products can be easily substituted for existing, unsafe compressed air products in many cases. And to avoid the hazard altogether, remember EXAIR when designing products  or processes which require compressed air use for cooling, cleaning, ejection, and more. 

If you have questions about the Hierarchy of Controls and safe compressed air usage from any of the 15 different EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air® Product lines, feel free to contact EXAIR and myself or any of our Application Engineers can help you determine the best solution.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Twitter: @EXAIR_JS

 

Hierarchy of Controls Image:  used from  Public Domain

EXAIR Digital Sound Level Meters Measure Noise Exposure Levels

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

slm-newlabel
Digital Sound Meter

EXAIR offers the model 9104 Digital Sound Level Meter.  It is an easy to use instrument for measuring and monitoring the sound level pressures in and around equipment and other manufacturing processes.

Sound meters convert the movement of a thin membrane due to the pressure waves of sound into an electric signal that is processed and turned into a readable output, typically in dBA.  The dBA scale is the weighted scale that most closely matches the human ear in terms of the sounds and frequencies that can be detected.

Noise induced hearing loss can be a significant problem for many workers in manufacturing and mining. To protect workers in the workplace from suffering hearing loss OSHA has set limits to the time of exposure based on the sound level.  The information in the OSHA Standard 29 CFR – 1910.95(a) is summarized below.

OSHA Noise Level

The EXAIR Digital Sound Level Meter is an accurate and responsive instrument that measures the decibel level of the sound and displays the result on the large optionally back-lit LCD display. There is an “F/S” option to provide measurement in either ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ modes for stable or quickly varying noises. The ‘Max Hold’ function will capture and hold the maximum sound level, and update if a louder sound occurs.

Certification of accuracy and calibration traceable to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) is included.

If you have questions about the Digital Sound Level Meter, or would like to talk about any of the quiet EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air® Products, feel free to contact EXAIR and myself or one of our Application Engineers can help you determine the best solution.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer
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Flat Super Air Nozzles by EXAIR: A Wide-Range of Customizable Solutions

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment
EXAIR’s Flat Super Air Nozzles have been blowing away the competition since 2003.

EXAIR’s line of 1” and 2” Flat Super Air Nozzles are rugged, efficient, and ideal for applications that require a wide forceful stream of airflow. The patented design utilizes a special shim to maintain the critical position of the component parts. The result is a laminar, high velocity blast of air with minimum air consumption and sound level.

The Flat Super Air Nozzles are available in a wide range of configurations. With both the 1” and 2” sizes you have the ability to select either Zinc Aluminum alloy or Type 316 Stainless Steel for higher temperature or corrosive applications. They’re also available installed at the end of our Safety Air Guns. The 1” Flat Super Air Nozzles are ideal for our VariBlast Compact Safety Air Gun while the 2” is suitable on either our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun or the Heavy Duty Safety Air Gun.

With extensions ranging from 6”-72” and Chip Shields also available, you have the ability to tailor a blowoff gun to your exact application. Since the design of the nozzle prevents any chance for it to be dead-ended, all configurations will be compliant with OSHA directive 29 CFR 1910.242(b). This means you’re able to operate at pressures in excess of 30 PSIG without risking harm to your operators.

In addition to two different sizes and materials, there’s also a wide range of shims that can be installed. Just like the Super Air Knife, the thickness of the shim installed (in addition to the input compressed air pressure) will dictate the force and flow through the nozzle. For both the 1” and 2” Flat Super Air Nozzles, shim thicknesses are available ranging from .005”-.030”. Thicker shims will increase the force and flow, thinner shims will reduce it while also reducing the air consumption. To allow you to experiment with different flows, we make shim sets available that’ll allow you to test out a few different sizes in order to determine the best solution for your application.

New to EXAIR in 2018, the Model 1144 2” Super Air Scraper is a patent pending nozzle used to remove stuck-on debris from work or machine surfaces. It incorporates a strong corrosion resistant scraper blade to add necessary leverage to allow you to get underneath and scrape away debris. The strong airflow from the 2” Flat Super Air Nozzle then is able to get underneath and blow away the material. The scraper nozzle is great for applications involving the removal of tape from floors, gaskets, adhesive, labels and stickers, grease, paint and sealant. It’s also available on the end of our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun with durable ¾” air extensions in lengths ranging from 6”-72” and Chip Shields. All of these possibilities are available from stock with same day shipments.

scraper SAG
Soft Grip Super Air Scraper

EXAIR’s wide-range of solutions allow you to customize the product to your exact specifications. Stop wasting time and money replacing cheap plastic air nozzles, get yourself a nozzle that’s Built to Last by EXAIR! 

Tyler Daniel
Application Engineer
E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_TD

Minimize Exposure to Hazards Using the Hierarchy of Controls

Published on by Leave a comment

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) published a useful guide called “Hierarchy of Controls” that details (5) different types of control methods for exposure to occupational hazards while showing the relative effectiveness of each method.

HierarchyControls
CDC Hierarchy of Controls

The least effective methods are Administrative Controls and PPE. Administrative Controls involve making changes to the way people perform the work and promoting safe practices through training. The training could be related to correct operating procedures, keeping the workplace clean, emergency response to incidents, and personal hygiene practices, such as proper hand washing after handling hazardous materials. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is the least effective method because the equipment (ear plugs, gloves, respirators, etc.) can become damaged, may be uncomfortable and not used, or used incorrectly.

In the middle range of effectiveness is Engineering Controls. These controls are implemented by design changes to the equipment or process to reduce or eliminate the hazard. Good engineering controls can be very effective in protecting people regardless of the the actions and behaviors of the workers. While higher in initial cost than Administrative controls or PPE, typically operating costs are lower, and a cost saving may be realized in the long run.

The final two, Elimination and Substitution are the most effective but can be the most difficult to integrate into an existing process. If the process is still in the design phase, it may be easier and less expensive to eliminate or substitute the hazard. Elimination of the hazard would be the ultimate and most effective method, either by removing the hazard altogether, or changing the work process to the hazardous task is no longer performed.

EXAIR can help your company follow the Hierarchy of Controls, and eliminate, or reduce the hazards of compressed air usage.

Engineers can eliminate loud and unsafe pressure nozzles with designs that utilize quiet and pressure safe engineered air products such as Air Nozzles, Air Knives and Air Amplifiers. Also, unsafe existing products such as air guns, can be substituted with EXAIR engineered solutions that meet the OSHA standards 29 CFR 1910.242(b) and 29 CFR 1910.95(a).

Nozzles

In summary, Elimination and Substitution are the most effective methods and should be used whenever possible to reduce or eliminate the hazard and keep people safe in the workplace.

If you have questions about the Hierarchy of Controls and safe compressed air usage from any of the 15 different EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air® Product lines, feel free to contact EXAIR and myself or any of our Application Engineers can help you determine the best solution.

Brian Bergmann
Application Engineer
Send me an email
Find us on the Web 
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_BB