ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 24
Positive pressure
How powered pre-cleaners and cab pressurizers can improve operator safety and
A/C performance in dirty, dusty, off-highway environments
By Stephen Petit
W
hen you're sitting in a heavy-equipment cab for hours on end, a reliable
supply of cool, clean air isn't just a
comfort feature. It's a safety matter.
At an off-highway job site, an enclosed
cab can protect the operator by keeping dust, fumes, chemicals, and other airborne contaminants out. Or it can box
him up in a potentially unsafe environment if those contaminants are allowed inside.
"You can argue that air quality is as important as temperature or airflow to a heavy-equipment operator," explains Robert Brocx, technical steward at Red Dot, which
designs and manufactures HVAC units, components, and
parts for off-highway equipment and commercial vehicles.
"He can't step outside for a breath of fresh air."
If something is bad for the lungs it's probably also detrimental to the performance and overall service life of the
cab's air conditioner. Dust, smoke, and other particulates
can quickly plug filters. Effective filtration can reduce the
24
ACTION * July/August 2017
costs and downtime associated with filter changes, a dirty
evaporator, and the overall strain that restricted airflow
can place on a system.
For contractors and equipment managers in the United
States, clean air is also a matter of compliance.
On Sept. 23, the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety
Administration (OSHA) will start to enforce a lower exposure limit for crystalline silica, a carcinogenic dust found
in concrete, stone, sand, masonry, and other industrial materials. Grinding, drilling, crushing, and sand-blasting can
release silica particles into the air. Inhaling these particles
can lead to lung disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease.
The OHSA standard requires employers to monitor
silica in the workplace and take steps to reduce exposure.
"Some workers can wear a respirator," Brocx says, "but
for heavy-equipment operators the most practical and effective approach is a properly sealed and pressurized cab
with a powered air pre-cleaner and filtration system."
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's Law
Virtual View
Cooling Corner
HD and OTR vehicle Service: Keep it Clean
Positive Pressure dor operator cabins
Industry News
Association News
New Products and Services
Last Watch
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Cover1
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Cover2
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 3
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 4
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 5
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Outlook
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 7
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Service Port
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 9
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Leonard's Law
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 11
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Virtual View
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 13
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Cooling Corner
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 15
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - HD and OTR vehicle Service: Keep it Clean
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 17
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 18
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 19
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 20
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 21
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 22
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 23
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Positive Pressure dor operator cabins
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 25
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 26
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 27
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Industry News
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 29
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 30
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 31
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 32
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Association News
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 34
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - New Products and Services
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 36
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - 37
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Last Watch
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Cover3
ACtion Magazine - July/August 2017 - Cover4
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