The Right Air Filter for Blasting and Painting Applications

The correct air filter can be your best friend when you’re working with blasting and painting chemicals and surface dust.

Every blaster and painter knows the value of a suitable air filter that ensures fresh, clean air and it goes without saying that the value of quality air can not be overlooked when you’re on the job.

The safety and comfort of the blaster is paramount – the Airblast range of Personal Protection Equipment ensures that a tough job is made a little bit easier and can be conducted in the safest possible manner.

The Right Air Filter for Painting and Blasting

In keeping with Australian EPA Standards, all abrasive blasting must be carried out in a cabinet constructed to contain the emission of particulate matter (generally dust) from the blasting operation.

The air filter is also important in blasting applications. The blast room or cabinet must be totally enclosed and vented to the atmosphere through an effective dust collector, preferably a fabric filter or paper cartridge. Open air blasting is only permissible with the consent of the EPA (via referral to EPA under Schedule 8 Item 11 Schedule 22 of the Development Regulations 1993 and subsequent licensing), when the object is too large or too heavy to fit in a booth, or is a fixed structure.

Fabric filters (felted cloth, pulse air cleaned) and paper cartridges (pulse air cleaned) are the recommended dust collectors. Filters must ensure that the maximum pollution level of solid particulates in each cubic metre of residual gases does not exceed 250 mg per cubic metre of exhaust air in accordance with the Environment Protection (Air Quality) Policy 1994. Wet scrubbers are not recommended as they do not work well if not properly maintained.

For air quality purposes, the recommended minimum separation distance between the abrasive blasting room or cabinet and the nearest residential (or other sensitive land use) premises is 50 metres.

If lead paint removal is to be undertaken, the following issues must be addressed:

• the capture of lead contaminants
• removal from the grit recycling process
• the process for following Australian Standard AS 4361.1 Guide to Lead Paint Management

Industrial Applications

According to the South Australian Environmental Protection Agency, all exhaust ducts should terminate at least 3 metres above the highest structure within a 30 metre radius of the exhaust. Discharge from the dust collector to the atmosphere must be vertical, at a minimum discharge velocity of 10 metres per second. All cabinets that have external exhaust ducts should meet the required separation distances.

More information: Environmental Assessment Guides for Planners

Air filters – Airblast Australia has you covered.

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