Making the case for nanoparticle testing with baghouses

If we think about industrial baghouses as the same as insurance policies, then you'll likely know that just because you have one, it doesn't mean you're covered.

The filtration devices commonly used at metal processing plants, steel mills and manufacturing warehouses are excellent at controlling air pollution from diesel emissions and other sources, but you can never be entirely sure that you're always protected. What's more, air quality is at a heightened concern in regards to workplace health and safety, and regulatory challenges require consistent record-keeping.

Ensuring worksite air quality is within the legal guidelines was once an arduous task, but the testo DiSCmini has made it simpler – and more manageable – than ever before.

Issues may arise

Although there are often requirements in place upon the installation of an industrial baghouse that relate to its maintenance, at the end of the day it's just another machine. Faced with the rigours of daily production, weather and a number of other potential threats, deterioration and breakdowns can occur and exposure can result.

Similarly, record-keeping and preventative maintenance can sometimes slip out of view and take a back seat to large orders or increased productivity, making it more difficult to predict these malfunctions. But those defects can leave employees vulnerable and exposed to dangerous nanoparticles, dust and metals which can lead to a host of dangerous lifelong illnesses.

Avoiding setback

The testo DiSCmini is a handheld diffusion size classifier for nanoparticle testing, making the process of analysing air quality convenient without compromising on accuracy.

Staff can now regularly monitor nanoparticle numbers, average diameter and the lung-deposited surface area factor while walking around the facility. Measurement results are stored on a secure digital memory card and the information can be transferred to an external source like Excel or a different program with the help of a USB cable.

Specifications include:

• 10 to 300 nanometre (nm) modal diameter particle size.
• 10 to 700 nm particle count.
• +/- 30 per cent accuracy.
• Testing time of one second.
• Weight: 0.7 kilograms.

The testo DiSCmini can be a valuable asset in assisting facility maintenance in their routine preventative maintenance methods for the baghouses. It also becomes a viable way of effortlessly gathering information on air quality for record-keeping purposes.

Don't leave your workers exposed to dangerous illnesses and the organisation subject to hefty fines; if your industry uses baghouses, start measuring nanoparticles today. Contact a Testo representative for more information.