Company & Application

A leading building and construction based in the UK, working amongst processes such as mineral processing, crushing and screening, with over 100 years’ established experience in this industry. 

Due to the nature of the materials being processed, buildings within the site often have a high level of dust, including RCS, present. The amount of dust present in the air of the site’s enclosed buildings vary requiring regular monitoring of processes and site locations. 

The Challenge 

The unpredictable nature of the site’s dust levels made it hard to effectively assess the nature of the environment. In order to better protect their work force, RPE was used all the time and various dust suppression systems were used to try and control the amount of particulates in the air, regardless of whether this was necessary at all times.  

There were several suppression systems on-site including dust extraction (fans and ducting), water misting and a foam spray, normally used in conjunction with each other. Dust was controlled using a visual inspection via CCTV from the main control room; a common way of checking how processes are running alongside dust generation. 

Aside from the point that cameras get dirty and people can interoperate visual information in different ways, a business that has so much hazardous dust present could not possibly have known the extent of their dust problem with just a visual inspection following their dust suppression implementation. 

The AIR XD plan 

The purpose of this trial was to investigate how effective dust control tactics already in-place on-site were for our client, and whether they made a difference to their dust levels that weren’t visible during visual inspections via CCTV.  

While visual inspections can identify whether there are any larger dust sizes present, this method of inspection can often miss the smaller and most dangerous PM sizes, all of which below PM10 are invisible to the naked human eye. 

After the client had given the detailed historical overview of their processes, a suitable location for an AIR XD unit at the site’s process had been identified. We installed the AIR XD using the Transportable Pack tripod, powering it via a 110v supply, with the aim of achieving the following: 

• Accurate and real-time reporting on PM levels. 

• Re-assurance of working in a ‘safer’ working environment. 

• Supporting data for deploying effective dust control measures. 

• Notably reduced wastage of dust suppression materials. 

• Forecasted ROI within six months. 

The AIR XD solution 

Recommendations suggested from data provided by AIR XD proved a reliable insight to their use of safety protocols. The company later worked with us to implement a suitable system of control measures across the whole site and a number of plants on site. 

Suppression systems were automatically executed by the AIR XD, only when required and the company saved time, money and ensured that dust control systems were used as intelligently as possible. Since implementation of AIR XD, they reported a significant reduction in water usage and foam consumption. 

What it meant moving forward? 

• No more reliance on ineffective visual inspections: Air XD provided detailed, highly accurate reporting that the human eye could not possibly have assessed. The company’s workers are now far safer, and the plant is able to comply with legislation effectively, no matter how it may change. 

• Less wastage of dust control systems: Intelligent use resulting in less wastage of expensive water and foam usage and fan extraction energy usage.