Exposure to fumes and chemicals also harmful to equipment

People should be aware of the ramifications of being exposed to dangerous fumes, chemicals and dust and the damage caused to mining and construction equipment by dust and other contaminants, says Trysome Auto Electrical Engineering key account manager Johan Momberg.

The focus should be on ensuring that operators and their equipment are kept safe and healthy.

Companies should have measures in place to prevent dust and unwanted particulates from being sucked into engines via the air intake, which can cause much damage.

“To date, there are solutions available, engineered specifically to address this particular topic, that can prevent such scenarios from occurring. The equipment suppliers and management of sites where the equipment is operating should work together with solution providers to ensure that workers and equipment are protected,” says Momberg.

Companies should ensure that, when buying equipment, it is suitable for that environment—considering the size and nature of the dust to which the equipment will be exposed. A company can order equipment with cab air-filtration systems already installed or as an aftermarket fitment.

Moreover, one must pay care to filters used on the equipment to clean the air; servicing must be regular, and timeous parts replacement is crucial.

Sy-Klone International is a worldwide leader in the design and production of advanced precleaning and filtration systems.

The Sy-Klone RESPA-CF2 Fresh-air System, FFX2/CFX2 Recirculated Air System, RadialSHIELD ISO 35 H Filters (EN 1822 H13), and RESPA Advisor Monitoring System help you meet the performance requirements outlined in ISO 23875; the new international standard for cabin air quality.

The Sy-Klone team is well-versed in the new ISO standard requirements, as lead participants in the working group currently piloting ISO 23875 installations in Canada.

The fresh-air system provides sufficient fresh-air intake and exchange to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) levels within an adequately sealed cab and continuously monitors pressurisation and CO2 levels. The built-in alarm alerts the operator when pressurisation or CO2 levels breach the allowable threshold, ensuring sustained pressurisation while maintaining uninterrupted HVAC performance.

The Recirculation System supports recirculation efficiency and decay rate time.

The functionality of the Sy-Klone system is two-fold.Firstly, the product filters the air of the cabin or office where the operator sits, consequently ensuring the supply of only fresh air to the area.

The cab is pressurised to ensure no dust or other contaminants enter the cab while the equipment operates.

“While the operator is in the cabin, we monitor the air quality and check the carbon dioxide levels.

“We check that the cab conditions comply with standards set by ISO 23875 to ensure that the operator is working in a healthy cab environment at all times,” says Momberg.

Secondly, the company uses the Sy-Klone pre-clean system, with a few adaptations, to ensure that clean air is going into the engine of the equipment, which also prolongs the engine’s life span.

Momberg states that the company has installed Sy-Klone systems locally in the agriculture, construction and mining markets.

“Trysome aims to install more units in various industries while creating awareness of the dangers people face in mining and construction environments,” notes Trysome RiskTech new business development lead Sean Steyn.