Hazardous Dust Vacuums

Controlling and safely vacuuming dust has never been more important. Industries are becoming more aware of the acute and chronic results of breathing in harmful dusts. Harrison Hire & Sales are specialists in advising the correct hazardous dust vacuum to safely collect your dust without risk to operators.

Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL)

To determine the required vacuum protection level, you need to consider the Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) of your dust. This is the quantity of dust that can be in the air without risk to staff or the public. The OEL can usually be found on the Material Safety Data Sheet for your dust. You can also consult the EH40 document that details many common dusts and their safe working levels.

Do I Need an M or an H-Class Vacuum Cleaner?

The OEL determines if you require an L, M or H-Class hazardous vacuum cleaner. L-Class (low risk) is required for the vacuuming of dust with an OEL of more than 1mg per cubic metre. An M-Class vacuum is required for dusts with an OEL of between 0.1 and 1mg per cubic metre. H-Class Vacuums are required for dusts with an OEL of less than 0.1mg per cubic metre.

Don’t confuse H-Class with HEPA. HEPA is an air conditioning standard and due the different levels of HEPA filter is not relevant to vacuuming hazardous dusts. We supply absolute upstream H14 HEPA filters for very fine hazardous dust. The M or H-Class certification also offers a low/zero dust emptying method. This ensures the operator is protected when emptying the vacuumed dust.

Other Considerations

While you have the MSDS it is well worth checking a few other factors. If the substance is a blended powder it may contain dangerous elements and it would be wise to check the EH40 to see if these elements pose a risk. Many dusts are also combustible, If your dust poses an explosion risk, please go to our range of [explosion-proof vacuum cleaners]. If you aren’t sure consult your MSDS, your on-site HSE representative or one of our advisors before selecting a vacuum cleaner.