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The HSE are clamping down on metalwork manufacturers who are still not complying with COSHH regulations (Control of Hazardous Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002) by rolling out an inspection campaign.

Exposure to fluid or mist generated by CNC machining is a serious health hazard so as part of a campaign to push compliance, HSE is rolling out inspections between October 2023 through to March 2024. The campaign focuses on smaller businesses which may not be aware or have other impediments to putting vital actions in place.

Be prepared.

Protecting workers from exposure to fluid or mist generated by CNC machining is a key part of providing a workspace that is healthy, safe and productive. What HSE will be particularly focusing on is checking that manufacturing companies, particularly smaller companies have:

• A Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).
• Regular fluid quality checks.
• Regular health checks for lung and skin conditions.

Rest assured though, in most cases, the role of the HSE is one of supporting businesses rather than penalising them. Recommendations are made upon inspection and are there to improve conditions and ensure compliance.

Metalworking fluids are a serious health issue.

Exposure to metalworking fluids can cause harm to the lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin. Control measures are put in place to avoid long-term health issues such as lung disease, asthma and skin rashes. Unless already installed, LEVs are part of the recommendation as they are highly effective at collecting and removing dangerous airborne machining application contaminants.

Choosing the right LEV and LEV supplier

An LEV is basically an extract ventilation system that takes contaminants out of the air so that they can’t be breathed in. As part of several measures that you can take to ensure compliance and a safe workspace, a well-designed LEV will:

• collect the air that contains the contaminants.
• make sure they are contained and taken away from people.
• clean the air (if necessary) and get rid of the contaminants safely.

When it comes to finding the right LEV provider it’s important that a specification is outlined and includes your processes and any accompanying hazards, ease of use, and training on the use and maintenance of the system. Brown & Holmes, providers for MistBuster® LEV systems in the UK typically carry out a thorough survey of your machine tool and its purpose before making their recommendations.

“We don’t believe in a one solution fits all’. Says Jamie Barton, Technical Sales for MistBuster®. “Our team take the time to provide the right solution and fitting takes place by experienced technicians. They will work with you to provide best practices for maintenance and servicing the unit/s yourself or will provide a tailored preventative maintenance program.”

Why MistBuster®?

MistBuster® from Brown & Holmes is a highly efficient air filtration solution that removes airborne contaminants using electrostatic precipitation and an impeller which vastly reduces the operation and maintenance costs.

Jamie explains, “The key difference between MistBuster® and conventional centrifugal systems is the impeller which consumes much less electrical energy and there is no vibration to pass through to the machine tool. With MistBuster® there are no costly media or filters to replace and dispose of, so it is good for the environment too.”

Installation is quick and the units are easy to use and maintain as a proven track record for installing MistBuster® with leading manufacturers goes to show.

Making it easier to be compliant

At Brown & Holmes, we recognise that the road to compliance can be an expensive one. To ensure that costs can be more easily managed by smaller businesses, we have provided a leasing scheme that should make accessing the right equipment more accessible.