In almost all kind of laboratories, odour, gas and fumes may be generated. When the pollutants spread, they can have a negative impact on both the facilities and breathing air. Extraction arms are especially suitable for capturing pollutants as close to the source as possible.
The consequences of exposure to gas, particles, fumes and odour may vary, but it is invariably unhealthy, and can occur in all kinds of laboratories, for example:
When pollutants spread, they can have a negative impact on both the facilities and the breathing air. To maintain a safe and sustainable working environment, it is important to use equipment that captures and filters harmful emissions before they reach the breathing zone or pollute the wider environment. The best way to control airborne contaminants in the workplace is to remove them right at the source of their creation.
This depends on the type and degree of exposure, but laboratory contaminants are linked to respiratory irritation, occupational asthma, and, for some substances, long-term carcinogenic risk. What was once considered fully acceptable exposure is now restricted, and regulation continues to tighten: substances and processes once thought non-carcinogenic have since been reclassified as carcinogenic. In the UK, employers have a legal duty under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 to assess and control exposure to hazardous substances, including setting and monitoring Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs).
The right approach depends on your setup; the volume of air needing extraction, the space available, and the specific contaminants involved. Articulated extraction arms are typically the most cost-efficient solution where extraction volumes are small and confined to a limited area, capturing pollutants as close to the source as possible for a high capture rate with minimal energy use.
See how Nederman's extraction solutions address these risks
A laboratory extraction system is a specialised ventilation setup designed to effectively capture, filter and remove hazardous vapours, gases, dust and chemical fumes directly at their source before they can escape into the room and be breathed in.
COSHH regulation 9 dictates that laboratory extraction must undergo a thorough examination and test (TExT) at least once every 14 months. If a system is altered or repaired, then a LEV test must be conducted for it to be certified compliant.
Ducted extraction is suitable when working with heavy chemicals, toxic gases, bio-hazard and high-heat processes. Ducted extraction removes the contaminated air from the area, filter it and exhaust the clean air into the atmosphere. Recirculating extraction is suitable for low-risk, light chemistry processes as it pulls the contaminated air through filters (like carbon or HEPA) and blows the cleaned air back into the room.
