Preparation of an object, ie train, truck commercial vehicle, tram, sometimes involves sanding the object. Sanding to have a perfect finish. Sanding itself will cause dust to flow around the work area. It is important to reduce the dust in the workplace for the health of the workers.

Health issues when sanding inside a preparation booth

As mentioned, there is a health issue when sanding inside a preparation booth. It is important to reduce the amount of dust in the workplace. The dust can contain crystalline silica (dust from body fillers and polishes), which can lead to lung diseases.

How do you reduce the dust from sanding inside the preparation booth?

In order to reduce the dust from sanding inside the preparation booth, the dust need to be collected. Collected before spreading/escaping around the preparation booth.

1. If possible, use wet sanding processes where it is practical, or
2. Use sanding tools that have built-in extraction or connect to dust extraction systems

It is recommended to trap and collect the dust at its origin. To trap the dust you should be using tools which has built-in extraction. The tool itself should be connected to a central dust extraction system. In this way, the dust will not spread. It will be collected at point of the sanding, for finally being extracted into the central system where it is filtered.

How can this be practically done in a preparation booth?

Inside a preparation booth, where you are sanding on fairly large objects, such as train, truck commercial vehicle, tram, it is recommended to use a pneumatic man lift to comply with safety for work at height. Using a man lift will also provide a more effective preparation booth. For more information on how to speed things up in your preparation booth then read this article. – “Preparation area is key – but sometime the bottleneck“.

Sanding tool and man lifts

The sanding tool should have built-in dust extraction. And this tool should have its hose connected to a pipeline inside the cage of a pneumatic man lift. The man lift should also have the possibility to support air tools. An air outlet inside the cage should be present. This will reduce the need for long hoses laying around on the floor. The fixed pipeline inside the cage of the pneumatic man lift  should be connected to a central extraction system.

Clean and effective work environment

The described flow above ensures minimal of hoses laying around on the floor, keeping the work area open for work and different tasks. It also provides a solution for an ergometric work position for the operator (can work longer without break), in combination with moving safely around the object and sanding all the tough spots fast and effective – minimizing the dust from sanding, for a better work and clean environment.

Other solutions may be

Other solutions may be (but not as effective):

• Have enough general ventilation (fresh air ducted into the workplace or natural ventilation through doors and windows to dilute the amount of dust in the air)
• Create a separate work area with walls or other dust proof barriers where tasks that generate dust are done
• Use a “local extraction” ventilation system – i.e. mechanical dust extraction that extracts dust from a specific part of the work area, filters out dust and has clean make-up air

Reglo AS can provide a solution for dust extraction inside the preparation booth

Reglo AS can provide both pneumatic man lifts for safe operations at height inside a preparation booth, along with its wide portfolio within high vacuum extraction products – from compact units for one user and more users, to centralized extraction solutions.

To know more about pneumatic man lifts you can read more about the possibilities – “Understanding your needs inside the spray or preparation booth“.

And if you want to learn more about our high vacuum extraction product you are welcome to look at this page – “A cleaner and healthier environment“.

As extraction of dust, fumes, particles, liquid can sometimes be a bit difficult to understand as it needs to be calculated, please feel free to contact Reglo AS at:

E-mail: info@reglo.no

or call Reglo AS at: 00 47 33 43 02 80

Support from Reglo AS

Reglo AS will support you on both topics:

1. Pneumatic man lifts produced by Reglo AS – Wall-Man and Liftman
2. High vacuum extraction products produced by Reglo AS – EFFEX extraction products

Reglo AS will make sure that you have a good solution for a safe, clean and effective work environment inside you preparation booth.