Tag: osha safety air gun

Blowoff Made Easy With the Variblast Safety Air Gun

Published on by jasonkirbyLeave a comment

EXAIR’s VariBlast Safety Air Guns provide a significant advancement in handheld blow off technology by effectively addressing the hazardous “all-or-nothing” airflow characteristic of conventional air blow guns. This innovative series combines precise, adjustable force control with top-tier safety standards, ensuring operator protection while significantly reducing costly compressed air consumption. Top that off with the fact that these units are actually repairable, and you have a win all the way around!

In standard industrial environments, inexpensive handheld air guns are often disregarded, despite being a significant source of hidden expenses stemming from high air consumption, potential hearing risks, and serious safety violations. To address these issues, EXAIR has developed the VariBlast series, which offers an efficient and ergonomic solution that easily adjusts to various tasks.

The VariBlast series is distinguished by its innovative variable-flow trigger mechanism. In contrast to inexpensive blow off guns that release a continuous and uncontrolled stream of compressed air, the specialized valve within the VariBlast adapts responsively to the user’s input.

The ergonomic trigger, when squeezed, progressively opens the internal valve, enabling operators to gently displace fine dust particles with a soft airflow or exert up to a full pound of force to completely blow away heavier debris. This precise control mechanism helps to avoid excessive use of compressed air, thereby significantly reducing utility expenses for the facility.

To tackle everything from heavy manufacturing to delicate electronics assembly, EXAIR offers the VariBlast blow gun in two distinct variations:

Meets or Exceeds OSHA Requirements
  • VariBlast Compact Safety Air Guns are constructed from robust cast aluminum, ensuring their resilience in demanding industrial environments. These air guns are equipped with dual 1/4 NPT inlets, making them suitable for connection with overhead tool retractors or counter balancers, and they can be paired with any of EXAIR’s 1/8 NPT Super Air Nozzles for enhanced functionality.
  • The VariBlast Precision Safety Air Guns are specifically designed for meticulous and detailed tasks, featuring a lightweight construction made from high-impact thermoplastic. This model is equipped with EXAIR’s three smallest engineered nozzle profiles, which include the ultra-compact Atto, the mid-range Pico, and the fine-point Nano, allowing for versatile applications in precision work.

Safety is not an afterthought with EXAIR; it is baked right into the engineering. Every VariBlast blow gun model completely bypasses standard factory penalties by natively fulfilling two essential OSHA mandates:

OSHA StandardSafety RequirementHow VariBlast Complies
29 CFR 1910.242(b)Restricts dead-end static pressure greater than 30 PSI if a nozzle is blocked.Engineered Super Air Nozzles maximize air entrainment and cannot be accidentally blocked or dead-ended by an operator’s hand.
29 CFR 1910.95(a)Protects operators against continuous industrial noise exposure over 90 dBA.Advanced nozzle geometry drops operation sound levels between 58 and 82 dBA—well within safe, permissible daily, 8-hour exposure thresholds.

If you have questions about our Variblast Safety Air Guns, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk

The Wide World of Safety Air Guns and Nozzles

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

Have you just glanced around a 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.

Unsafe Air Gun

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 to their air gun, they quickly heard the difference between the noise levels. With the added benefits of good 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.

Unsafe Nozzle

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 dead-end pressure (OSHA 29CFR 1910.242(b)). It states that compressed air can enter the blood stream through the skin at pressures above 30 psig (2 bar). To keep his workers safe, he mandated a maximum pressure of 30 psig (2 bar). This increased the cleanup time for an operator 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 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, unlike the 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.

EXAIR offers a variety of different types of nozzles and Safety Air Guns to meet 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 Engineer to help pick the correct product for you.  From now until the end of September 2026, with qualified purchases, EXAIR will be giving away a model 6013SS Stainless Steel Air Jet, a $185.00 value, with a purchase of our Safety Air Guns, including the VariBlast Precision, VariBlast Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty, and TurboBlast Safety Air Guns.  We are promoting the importance of safety in the workplaces.

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

EXAIR is Offering a Promotional Item With Purchase of a Safety Air Gun. 

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

From August 1st to September 30th, 2026, with qualified purchases, EXAIR will be giving away a model 6013SS Stainless Steel Air Jet, a $185.00 value, with a purchase of our Safety Air Guns, including the VariBlast Precision, VariBlast Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty, and TurboBlast Safety Air Guns.  We are promoting the importance of safety in the workplace with the EXAIR Safety Air Guns. 

Compressed air guns are one of the most commonly used pneumatic products in manufacturing plants.  They are used at workstations to blow off debris and clean parts and tools.  Because of the large quantities that are used in a plant, they are the most targeted by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).  The majority of the common brands of air guns fail to comply with two common violations, rule 29CFR 1910.95(a) for noise levels and rule 29CFR 1910.242(b) for dead-end pressure.  The reason for this is due to the type of nozzle that comes with the compressed air gun.  OSHA fines can be very expensive, and you can alleviate these penalties by purchasing an EXAIR Safety Air Gun.  Safety is everyone’s responsibility: management, the HSE department (Health and Safety Engineer), supervisors, and even the operators. 

With EXAIR Safety Air Guns, we supply an efficient, effective, and, most importantly, safe air nozzle with all of our air guns.  They are CE Compliant and exceed the OSHA sound level and dead-end pressure requirements, even above 30 PSIG (2 bar).  With substandard air guns, the operators will have to listen to loud noises all day or wear hearing protection.  And for the dead-end pressure, the EXAIR nozzles are engineered to not allow the operator to completely block the end of the nozzle with their hand or skin.  This is very important because if the pressure exceeds 30 PSIG, air can penetrate the skin and cause an air embolism.  With our design, the compressed air is able to escape, and the pressure against the skin will not exceed 30 PSIG, even with the compressed air pressure set at 100 PSIG.  Safety is a major concern for all of our customers and a priority for EXAIR in manufacturing our products. 

As I mentioned above, the nozzles are one of the most significant parts of making a compressed air gun safe and OSHA compliant.  Combining our engineered nozzles with a quality air gun makes the EXAIR Safety Air Guns one of the best products in the market.  We currently have six different styles; the VariBlast Precision, VariBlast Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty, Super Blast, and TurboBlast Safety Air Guns.  These Safety Air Guns are ergonomically designed to comfortably fit in your hand, and they come with quality trigger mechanisms and a durable valve assembly.  The VariBlast Precision Safety Air Guns are great for tight spaces and clearing out small holes.  The VariBlast Compact Safety Air Guns have a cast aluminum body for rugged use with our smaller air nozzles.  The Soft Grip Safety Air Guns provide extra comfort for long, extended uses, and the Heavy Duty Safety Air Guns are rugged, heavy-duty industrial air guns with nozzles for larger forces.  The Super Blast and TurboBlast Safety Air Guns use our largest nozzles for cleaning large areas quickly.  In combination with the EXAIR nozzles, the Safety Air Guns can offer another important attribute; we can save you money!!!  Compressed air is very expensive to make, and with our Safety Air Guns, we use less compressed air but still create a strong blowing force.  We do this by entraining the free ambient air into the air stream.  If you increase the mass of air at the target, it will give you a hard-hitting force to remove debris from surfaces or clean tools and holes.  The amplification ratio can be as high as 25 to 1.  That means that for every one part of compressed air that it uses, the EXAIR Nozzles will entrain 25 parts of free ambient air.  This will add mass to the airstream to give a powerful impact.  Also, the payback period for using an EXAIR Nozzle with our Safety Air Guns can be within weeks due to the savings in electrical costs from your air compressor.  With EXAIR products, we were able to partner with Energy Star and power facilities.  For the amount of energy saved, some power companies offer rebates for using EXAIR products.     

A substandard blow-off gun is unsafe, loud, and wasteful.  EXAIR Safety Air Guns can help improve these situations.  They are OSHA compliant, very safe, and very quiet.  They use less compressed air, which saves you money.  And with a variety of different nozzles, they can better fit your application to decrease downtime.  In the U.S., EXAIR offers a 30-day unconditional guarantee on our cataloged items so you can try them out.  You can see for yourself how effective these compressed air guns can be.  And for a short while, you can receive a promotional gift. If you need help matching the best Safety Air Gun to your application, you can contact an Application Engineer. Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility.

John Ball
Application Engineer

Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Press Release: New Air Holster Safety Air Gun Mount

Published on by jasonkirbyLeave a comment

EXAIR has introduced the Model 5930 Air Holster, which offers a practical solution for securely storing Safety Air Guns at various workstations within a facility. This innovative product ensures that operators have a designated spot for their airguns when not in use, thereby reducing the likelihood of misplaced tools and promoting a more organized and efficient work environment. Its thoughtful design makes it particularly suitable for manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, and other industrial settings where Safety Air Guns are commonly utilized.

The Air Holster is designed to firmly attach to any robust magnetic surface, enabling users to swiftly access their tools during the workday. With its full-length front opening, it allows for the easy retrieval and replacement of longer tools and air guns after use. This holster offers reliable storage solutions for demanding industrial settings, presenting an effective method to enhance organization and efficiency in proximity to machinery such as mills, lathes, and cutoff saws.

EXAIR has expanded its range of accessories with the introduction of the Air Holster, enhancing the versatility and convenience of its Safety Air Guns. This new accessory complements existing offerings such as extension pipes for accessing hard-to-reach areas, Chip Shields that safeguard operators from debris, and flexible Stay Set Hoses designed for applications needing frequent adjustments. Additionally, EXAIR provides service kits and replacement parts to ensure the optimal performance of Safety Air Guns. The Air Holster is available for $38.

If you have any inquiries about the Air Holster, or any other EXAIR products, please feel free to contact us.

Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk