Sparks and airborne dust removed at Bott

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 6, 2001

Using Torit DCE's Environmental Control Booths, storage equipment manufacturer Bott has ensured the health and safety of its workers, while raising productivity levels

Using Torit DCE's Environmental Control Booths, storage equipment manufacturer, Bott Ltd, has ensured the health and safety of its workers, while raising productivity levels.

When storage equipment specialist Bott broadened its manufacturing operation to include a new plant in Bude, Cornwall, the company recognised the need for an efficient and reliable method of removing the sparks and airborne dust, generated by metal grinding in the finishing stages of production.

"Many of the materials we work with, such as steel, generate grinding dust which not only poses severe health risks to our staff, but can also affect the finish of our products," says Graham Wright, Engineering Manager at Bott Ltd.

"In addition to airborne particles, finishing processes often generate sparks, which need to be controlled to reduce the risk of explosion." With cleanliness and health and safety being the highest priorities, Graham Wright approached the leading authority on dust and fume extraction, Torit DCE, for advice.

Following a thorough assessment of Bott's requirements, Torit DCE recommended the installation of six Torit Environmental Control Booths (ECB).

Specially designed to safely extract sparks and remove fine airborne dust, the Torit ECB features a unique design that pulls dust filled air away from finishing operatives at a rate of 0.7m/s, providing 99.97% filtration efficiency.

With clean air moving at the same rate, this 'cross flow' method of air circulation eliminates the 'stopping and starting' caused by dust accumulation and poor visibility, keeping workers comfortable and, in turn, increasing productivity.

A self-contained working environment, complete with lighting, soundproofing, and built-in dust collection, the Torit ECB also contributes to increased productivity by giving workers complete freedom of movement, a particularly salient concern at the Bott plant.

As well as ensuring the comfort of those working inside the booth, in accordance with health and safety regulations, the Torit ECB offers protection to staff working outside the area.

Acoustic panels constructed from fire retardant, washable materials, minimise the risk of fire and help to reduce noise both inside and outside the finishing area, while the booth's excellent dust filtration capabilities prevent migration of dust to other parts of the plant.

Graham Wright confirms: "The six Torit ECB units have ensured a healthy and safe working environment for our staff, which has had the knock-on effect of increasing productivity levels.

All of these benefits can be attributed to the outstanding efficiency of the booths." The high levels of efficiency associated with the Torit ECB are, in part, due to the long-life ultra-web cartridges fitted as standard.

Featuring proprietary surface filtration technology, the cartridges offer excellent efficiency while their long life reduces maintenance costs, with regard to cartridge replacements.

With a heavy duty construction, the booths are modular in design allowing for exact sizing; and with no ductwork required, the units are both easy and inexpensive to install.