The quality of air is a compromise in no Australian workshop, big or small, whether it is the local mechanic or a large-scale fabrication yard. The operations that keep the wheels in motion, such as welding, grinding and vehicle repairs, produce a cocktail of harmful airborne pollutants. This is not just a significant health hazard to your team but also a certain means of reducing your productivity. This is where the difference is in investing in the right equipment.
The Safety Imperative: Protecting Your Mates
The main aim of any workshop owner is to make sure that everybody walks home healthy at knock-off. Short-term effects such as irritation of the eyes, throat, and lungs due to exposure to fume and particulates can result in sick days and absenteeism. More importantly, prolonged exposure to some metal oxides and gases is associated with serious chronic diseases, such as lung diseases and a number of cancers.
Regulations Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) In Australia, the rules on compliance with health and safety regulations are followed rigorously. These obligations, and more importantly, the need to protect your workforce, can be best achieved by implementing source-capture technology.
When a worker is operating a welding fume extractor that is portable, such as capturing the wasteful smoke and particulate matter near the source, then the smoke and the particulate matter are immediately captured before spreading to other areas of the workplace, and hence the breathing zone of the operator is directly safeguarded. This focused strategy is far more efficient than depending on general ventilation alone, which merely dilutes the pollution but does not eliminate it.
Boosting Productivity and Quality
A productive workshop is a clean workshop – it is that simple. In case of low visibility on a smoky or dusty day, the quality will be low, and there is a chance that the error rate will rise.
With a properly designed extraction system, you will have a clear working environment which will enable your team to:
● Ensure Accuracy: Welders and fabricators can now perform accurate work with clear views, and this results in superior quality finishes and saves time wastage on correction.
● Work conveniently: With fewer unpleasant air particles, employees are less exhausted, more attentive and will not need to take that frequent break to breathe fresh air.
● Protect Equipment: Dust and corrosive particles may accumulate on equipment that may result in its excessive wear and tear, high cost of maintenance and premature failure of useful tools. By eliminating these pollutants in the air, you increase the life of the assets in your workshop.
It is not only a cost to install effective fume extraction equipment, but it is also a good investment. It minimises long-term health premiums, keeps you on the right side of the law and leaves your workplace clean and efficient, as well as operating your business like a well-oiled machine.
Conclusion
Your workshop needs to invest in the extraction of fumes. It does not only protect the health of your staff directly; it makes sure that you are compliant with WHS and that your workers stay on track, hence leading to efficiency and high quality of work.
