Designed for you
As we design and build all of our own filters we have been able to develop a range to meet the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) hygiene requirements of the food industry and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in the food industry.
Our standards of construction vary from mild steel with standard or special paint finishes to stainless steel (grade to suit ie. 304 or 316) with finishes from standard sheet with welds as laid, to special crack and crevice free polished finishes.
All of our filters come with ATEX rated options meaning potentially explosive and volatile products can be handled safely and they can also be built to comply with Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) where applicable.
We offer a wide range of filter cartridge and bag materials so are able to handle any product whether it is sticky, cohesive or extremely fine. Click here to see the range.
Our in-house design team are able to provide a filter to fit almost any space constraints so we can ensure we provide the right fit for your work-space.
Why do you need dust control?
Dust control is vital in any manufacturing industry. A well-built, fit-for-purpose dust control system will:
- Protect operators from harmful dust
- Prevent explosions
- Reduce housekeeping and minimise breakdowns
- Improve product quality by preventing cross contamination
- Protect the environment
Protect operators
Employees are the most valuable asset to any business. As well as a moral obligation to protect your work force you have a legal obligation too.
Dust that is produced as a result of food production, can also have serious effects on the health of your employees. Exposure to dust can cause serious skin conditions and even occupational asthma in cases where flour dust is breathed in for example.
The HSE sets a long term Workplace Exposure Limit for every industry and a full list can be found on the HSE website. Breaching of these standards can result in severe penalties, loss of productivity due to employee sickness and even legal action. For small or large food manufacturers, looking after employee health by reducing dust exposure is vitally important.
Prevent Explosions
Substances regularly used in the food industry, including flour, sugar and starches and various other organic ingredients, all have the potential to explode.
Manufacturing processes and equipment can create a ‘dust cloud’. When this cloud is suspended and mixed with air and exposed to an ignition source it can cause catastrophic, even fatal, explosions.
You can take steps to reduce explosive hazards. Look at where you position equipment and ensure there are no leakage points around handling systems that produce dust. Also, install the correct Dust Extraction equipment, built to the correct ATEX rated standard.
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) requires that hazardous area classifications for flammable dusts should be undertaken in the same manner as that for flammable gases and vapours. Find out more at the HSE website.
Reduce Housekeeping & Minimise Breakdowns
If dust emissions can be controlled at source this will prevent egress of dust into the wider production environment. Less or no dust in the production environment means housekeeping tasks can be minimised. It also means that machinery productivity won’t be impaired by being clogged up with dust. This will save on maintenance requirements and prevent costly breakdowns making the process more productive and reducing operator intervention, thereby saving money.
Product Quality
If cross-contamination with other materials occurs in your process it can impact on product quality and safety and can result in an unusable end product which has a negative effect of productivity and profitability.
Maximising product yield is an important consideration and we can help you to achieve this with an effective filtration system.
We are able to offer FDA approved filter medias and cartridges to ensure product quality and if required ensure the product can be returned safely to the process.
Protect the Environment
Whilst most food based products by their nature are not hazardous, any processes that are vented to atmosphere have a legal obligation to comply with emissions according to EPA. The Environmental Protection Act 1990’ (EPA) for waste management and control of emissions into the environment requires your business to keep emissions at a certain level and by filtering your air and removing contaminants; a Dustcheck system will ensure you meet this legislation.
Dustcheck process filtration and dust control solutions will help prevent and control dust and emissions and solve all of the issues that go with it. You can also find industry standard guidance and advice on the HSE website with sections that deal specifically with dust control.
What steps can you take to reduce dust?
We provide a wide variety of dust control solutions to help reduce dust accumulation that can cause explosions and adverse health effects for your employees. You can also find industry standard guidance and advice on the HSE website with sections that deal specifically with dust control.