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Topic: Job Shop forum / Laser filtration

Page: 1

Posted: 07-07-2016 11:59 by richardhilton
During a recent 18001 audit it was highlighted that our safe working procedures for the emptying of the filtration system were inadequate. We currently have a Donaldson system and remove the 'dust' once a week with a vacuum and then empty in the skip. The audit seems to have opened a bag of worms raising questions such as , is it carcinogenic , is it combustible , is it ok to empty it in the scrap metal bin ? Can anyone shed any light on how they handle this area ?
Posted: 07-07-2016 12:09 by Lpro
We went through this several years ago and the procedure we settled on was accepted by everyone concerned, and we have never had a problem. We double bag the dust, in fairly thick plastic bags, and put the bags into the scrap skip.
Posted: 07-07-2016 12:27 by midtherm
We do similar. I wouldn't use a vacuum (static) and the dust can be combustible. Bag it and put the bags in the scrap bin.
Posted: 12-07-2016 10:28 by ailu3047
Hi Richard, There are several situations regarding extracting and filtering laser fumes and particles that need to be kept an eye on. Your process will produce heat, gas and particles, specific to your material being lased. Assuming that you have an activated carbon filter to deal with the gases, then the next consideration should be how to deal with the particles or 'dust'. Again, assuming that it is inert , or non combustible, then the particle size is the main concern. Lasing produces sub micron particles, which if inhaled, can be harmful and dangerous for the operators and anyone handling it. For that reason alone you system should have an efficient collection device and a filter or bag that will contain the dust without the need for further handling . Once full, that bag or filter can, in the main, be disposed of in the normal factory waste. Vacuuming dust from one place to another unnecessarily exposes the workforce to further contamination and should be avoided at all costs. If you need to see a system that we use for most of these solutions see here http://www.vortextechnology.co.uk/products/fp-150 Hope this helps.

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