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Hi All,
Perhaps I'm being overzealous, but it is my understanding that incompatible metals, particularly particulates and dusts, should be segregated to mitigate the risk of reaction; fire and explosion. My company has welding processes that have been using mild carbon steel and we are about to change materials to a nickel based alloy, nickel and steel are non-compatible. There is legacy residue steel particulate within the LEV ducting and in the filters of the extraction units. I'm suggesting there needs to be a deep clean and change of filters between changes of incompatible materials to ensure metal dusts are segregated. This is pushed back by production on logistics and cost and our European partners who don't follow COSHH 2002, DSEAR 2002, or Environmental Protection Act 1990 & Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 state that they don't conduct any change of filters or clean out LEV ducting and hoses between incompatible materials. The filter unit has a spark arrester fitted (though there is 20ft of corrugated hose before the filter which we know has a build up of steel particulate within...) So I don't know how controlling of these dusts I need to be? at what quantity or state is it a hazard? Can metals mix safely in a filter that has a spark arrestor integrated in it? Can particulate residue in pipework be mixed safely? Do I need to prescribe a deep-clean and filter change or am I being over the top? Thanks in advance for your input.
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Rank: Forum user 
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" This is pushed back by production on logistics and cost and our European partners who don't follow COSHH 2002, DSEAR 2002, or Environmental Protection Act 1990 & Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 " All these UK Regulations are derived from EU directives, meaning that equivalent legal requirements should exist in any EU member state. Even if the organisation operates outside the EU, UK compliance is mandatory for any processes conducted within the UK.
(I know you're aware of this, but it’s always surprising how some overseas companies assume their own requirements Trump local laws—pun intended!)
Addressing the Specific Issue First, kudos for identifying and acknowledging the risk—many wouldn’t.
Have you considered using wet filtration systems instead of dry particulate filters? This could help mitigate the issue, as wet filtration will prevent the accumulation of combustible dust.
Additionally, any issues within the ducting system should be minimal if the Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) system is properly designed, as appropriate flow rates should prevent significant buildup.
It may also be worth consulting with your insurance provider, as they may have specific requirements—after all, their financial risk is also at stake.
Hope you find a suitable solution! Edited by user 13 February 2025 10:21:18(UTC)
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 1 user thanked antbruce001 for this useful post.
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