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The most common airborne pollutants in aerospace manufacturing include dust from composite materials such as fibreglass and carbon fibre; metal dust including titanium and aluminium from welding and grinding; and volatile organic compounds from surface treatments.
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Unfortunately, exposure to each pollutant carries long-term health risks and as a result, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 make workplace dust and fume extraction systems mandatory to reduce employee exposure to hazardous substances.
Fume and dust extraction systems play a crucial role in the aerospace industry, removing fine dust from the atmosphere and reducing the risks of employee health issues.
COSHH sets permissible exposure limits for airborne contaminants to ensure workplace safety. The consequences for non-compliance with air quality regulations are severe, leading to heavy fines, legal action, worker health issues and reduced productivity.
Dust exposure in aviation manufacturing can have multiple negative health effects including eye, throat and nose irritation, nausea, headaches, sickness and dizziness in the short term. Over longer periods, it can cause severe asthma symptoms, respiratory and nervous system damage, pulmonary congestion and kidney problems.
In addition, the dust can be extremely combustible, leading to an increased risk of workplace fires: another reason why aerospace dust extraction is vital to health and safety.
Carbon fibre creates fine dust particles when sanded. These can stick to the skin and mucous membranes, causing severe irritation.
Lightweight fibreglass dust is likely to remain in the air for a long time, enabling it to penetrate the trachea and lungs. After exposure to fibreglass dust, eyes can become irritated and red. The throat and nose can also become sore if dust is inhaled, leading to bronchitis and asthma. Composite dust extraction is vital to meet stringent health and safety standards in the sector.
Widely used in aerospace applications; titanium is used to build fuselages, frames and landing gear. High temperature titanium alloys are used for compressor blades, discs and casings, etc. A major source of dust, when worked it can produce sparks. High risk, the dust produced is flammable.
Lightweight and easily formed, aluminium is frequently used for airframes, while titanium is used for engine components due to its high strength. However, if dust extraction isn’t managed effectively, metallic dusts can cause industrial diseases, such as pneumoconiosis – an accumulation of scar tissue in the lungs leading to other chronic health issues.
Metal dusts are often toxic, causing other serious health consequences. AirBench offers various dust extraction solutions for the aerospace industry: we have experience with materials ranging from specialist carbon filtration through to wet filtration options for hazardous dusts such as titanium.
Our AirBench downdraught benches are self-contained workbenches with built-in dust and fume extractor systems. This enables users to work on the surface while the hazardous particles are drawn down into the internal filters, returning clean air to the room.
Ideal for the aerospace industry, our benches meet or exceed the high standards required by COSHH and HSG258, as well as aerospace-specific standards. We work with the Health and Safety Executive and industry bodies to ensure compliance.
We have 25 years’ experience, supplying dust and fume extraction systems to aerospace clients, including almost every major UK aerospace manufacturer and the military.
Vertex cross-draught systems and booths provide modular walls of extraction, drawing dust and fumes into internal filters through the perforated front panels. Contaminants are removed and clean, filtered air is returned to the work environment.
Starting from a single 1,200 x 600 extracted face, the system has no upper limit size-wise, so we can create walk-in booths large enough for any aviation application. Extremely versatile, Vertex systems can be configured for various applications such as a grinding booth for metal work, or a fume extraction booth with carbon filtration.
Designed for larger factory environments, our air cleaning systems are perfect in situations where the existing extraction requires a back-up to prevent excess dust or fumes from escaping into the air. Based on our proven fan and filter technology, the air cleaning units solve the issues of atmospheric dust escaping from nearby processes. They run continuously, cleaning and recirculating workspace air to improve the environment.
As well as protecting employee health, our dust extraction systems also help to prevent the damage that dust can cause to aircraft components and manufacturing equipment – it can ruin the quality standards and finish of components if left unchecked and can accelerate the deterioration of workshop tools and equipment and the components themselves.
Some dusts, including titanium, can produce sparks and highly flammable dusts. For high risk applications, we recommend wet filtration systems that utilise water and a self-induced scrubbing action to remove dusts from the air.
To reduce the associated risks and keep workers safe; our Wet Filtered Downdraught Bench is capturing titanium dust for major manufacturers across the UK.
If you would like any further information, or you would like to discuss your requirements in more detail with one of our experts, please call 01206 791 191.
AirBench Ltd are the UK’s leading manufacturer of downdraught benches and cross draught extraction systems. We have more than 10,000 extraction systems in service in the UK and overseas. Along with our range of coolant mist filters and air cleaning systems, we are actively helping businesses across many industries solve their workplace dust and fume issues.
If you'd like to try an AirBench product for FREE simply book a demo and we'll bring one to you.
If you’d like to try an AirBench product for FREE simply book a demo and we’ll bring one to you.