The Workplace Benefits of Oil Mist Collectors

The Workplace Benefits of Oil Mist Collectors

For companies that operate large machinery, ensuring safe air quality is a top priority. They appreciate the value of having safeguards in place to protect their employees from the dangers that can come with working in industrial environments. These safety measures don’t only help companies promote the welfare of their workers, but also harness efficiency in their processes.

Companies that are intentional in advancing workplace safety keep their employees healthy and productive. And workplaces manned by healthy employees are better poised to make higher profits and achieve long-term success.

Oil mists endanger people and machinery

Many workplaces use oil to lubricate or cool machine parts to prevent them from eventual wear. However, lubricating pumps, turbines, compressors, and other machines result in the production of oil mists. An abundance of these fine droplets in the atmosphere is a threat to workplace safety. They can be inhaled by your workers and pollute ventilation systems and surfaces.

Industrial workers are exposed to oil mists in three modes: aerial exposure, skin exposure, and ingestion. The most common avenue of exposure is through the skin. These diseases have been linked to high exposure to oil mists:

  • Acne
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Allergic dermatitis
  • Bronchitis
  • Rhinitis
  • Lipoid pneumonia
  • Bronchial asthma
  • Lung fibrosis
  • Lung cancer
  • Benign and malignant tumours

Tiny oil particles can irritate lungs and airways

Possible symptoms of constant exposure to highly concentrated mists are eye and skin irritation, vomiting, fever, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and burning sensations in the mouth, throat, and stomach. The ideal requirement for mineral oil exposure to workers is a maximum of 5 g/m3.

Mists can also coat machinery, which can lead to possible breakdowns or contaminate your products, rendering them unusable. In some cases, mists also build up on walls and floors, which raises concerns for slip and fall hazards.

When inhaled, oil mists can cause respiratory problems

Addressing oil mist issues

Considering the problems oil mists pose, eliminating them before they contaminate the air is crucial. Reducing mists minimizes health risks, enhances facility costs, and ensures that customer requirements are met. One effective way to remove mists in manufacturing workplaces at the source before they affect health, machine, and facilities is by installing a mist collection system. While heavy-duty protective clothing, aprons, or encapsulated suits provide you protection, they don’t solve the problem at its root. An oil mist collector system can help workplaces reduce the risk of exposure.

A mist collector captures droplets before they make their way to your facility. Manufacturing facilities can avoid costly damages and adverse health effects in the future by investing in oil mist collectors. Specifically, mist collectors help maintain clean air in plants by:

  • Preventing mist from becoming airborne
  • Keep workers from breathing in mist-contaminated air
  • Prevent and eliminate haze from the plant atmosphere

Mist collection systems contain the mist produced in the machine tool enclosure. They can trap the tiniest and lightest mist particles that have the potential to drift out of the machine. Having this system in place limits the oil inside the center of the device so it can deliver its purpose as a lubricant or coolant.

Oil that gets out in the form of mist diminishes the amount of oil left in your cooling or lubricating system. When this happens, it involves thousands of litres of oil lost each year because of oil mist emissions. Oil replacement can be costly and time-consuming.

With the help of oil mist collectors, oil mist can be extracted straight from the machinery, which can protect the health of your workforce, preserve the quality of your products, keep your machinery in top shape, and enhance the efficiency of your operations. Oil mist extractors can remove up to 99.5 percent of particulates from the discharge of the equipment.

Oil mist control systems boost your efficiency and savings.

Controlling Oil Mists In The Workplace

As protective equipment, the oil mist collector is installed on CNC machining centers, die casting machines, electric discharge machines, and CNC lathes, among others. In addition to oil mist, the equipment can also gather dust, water mists, and other airborne pollutants generated in a machining process.

Let’s look at the benefits of having oil mist collectors installed in the plant:

  1. Lessens the impact on employees

Oil mists are harmful to your employees’ health. Installing an oil mist collection system is a step closer to boosting the health of your workforce. When they are fully protected, employees can focus and pour their time and attention in performing their tasks, leading to improved productivity.

  1. Minimizes work-related accidents

Oil mist collectors remove the chances of oil being deposited on floors and walkways, thereby reducing risks of accidents. They make ensuring cleanliness in the entire facility smooth and easy.

  1. Reduces fire hazards

Compounded oil deposits on ceilings, walls, and equipment may cause fire hazards. Outside of a boiler or engine, any oil products that are not considered as “fuel” may burn in uncontrolled circumstances and may lead to a fire or explosions. When it vaporizes and reaches a hot surface, the mist may heat up get ignited. This can be prevented by eliminating the mists right from the source through an oil mist collector.

  1. Eases the impact on the machine

Mist collectors prevent oil mists from smothering your machines, an instance that can slow down the performance of a machine. It’s also associated with internal electrical system failures.

  1. Increased savings

Investing in an oil mist collection system helps you cut back on running costs, as it lowers the amount of oil you lose. And by reducing oil loss from oil mist smoke, mist controllers reduce the number of times you need to top up oil levels.

Keep your working environment clean, safe, and free from oil particulates. If you desire to have a better workplace, contact AMT Machine Tools Ltd. We offer the highest-quality oil mist collector devices that effectively eliminates oil mist, coolant mist, fumes, and stream. We help manufacturing and industrial operations in making their facilities a safe and clean place to work.

For quality and efficient oil mist collector systems, call us now at (416) 675-7760.