NEWS
NEWS: Breathing Air Quality Testing
All employers have a duty of care to their employee to ensure that the breathing air they are supplied with is adequate for the respiratory protective equipment (RPE) that they are using and is safe to breathe.
What Regulations Apply?
The legal requirement for the quality of breathing air is stated in the European standard BS EN 12021:2014.
How often is breathing Air Quality Testing Is Required?
The EN 12021 requires that breathing air quality testing is carried out at least every 3 months, subject to specific customer risk assessment.
What Is Tested?
Breathing air quality testing will identify the levels of:
- Oxygen
- Carbon Dioxide
- Carbon Monoxide
- Water Content
- Lubricants (Oil)
Where Is Breathing Air Used?
- Paint Spraying
- Shot and Bead Blasting
- Asbestos Removal
- Tank Cleaning
- Chemical Transportation
- Clean Rooms and Ventilation Chambers
- Tunnelling and Demolition
What Maintenance Is Required?
Air compressors should be regularly checked and maintenance carried out according to manufacturers guidelines. Particularly if they are regularly moved around in different environments.
Air Quality
It is critical that the compressed air plant room has a level of air treatment to deal with impurities within the compressed air supply, this will include air dryers and filtration.
What happens if the air quality test is failed?
Our area technical sales engineer will analyse the results and compare this to the plant inventory of the compressed air plant room and a quotation to supply the correct air treatment will be issued, sometimes it can just be a simple point of use filter. Following the installation of recommended parts or equipment a new air quality test will be carried out FOC.
Anything else to look out for?
Vehicle exhaust fumes can cause a failure if the plant room is next to a busy road or a lorry delivery area there will be a high chance of excessive carbon monoxide, extra filtration can help with the removal of the unwanted fumes.
ACL Engineering have qualified engineers that can carry out regular air quality checks to help keep your facility safe and compliant to current regulations and advised standards. We provide certification for all passed tests within 2 days of the test.
Ask about our breathing air quality testing service