"There’s gold in them thar hills.”

Famous words that were coined by Mark Twain, in his 1892 novel, “The American Claimant.” The words were inspired by someone during the 1849 Gold Rush.

Fast-forward to today, we’re still trying to strike it rich by digging for gold. The location is the Cadia gold mine near Orange in central west NSW.

Throughout history, there is probably nothing more alluring than gold. Oil, another famous millionaire-maker, is called “liquid gold.” When a person spots a nugget of gold in the ground, I wouldn’t doubt that their pupils practically transform into dollar signs, their heart pumps out of their chest, and images of magnificent wealth race through their mind. It must be an intoxicating experience to see such a thing.

But two workers, digging for the mining giant, Newmont, have recently received the worst kind of news they could hear. The processes they have executed in the course of their daily work routines have exposed them to silica dust. Both men now have silicosis.

In the industrial world, dust poses a constant threat to machinery and personnel alike. Dust can cause equipment malfunctions, decrease productivity, and even pose health hazards to workers. That's why the development of dust resistant surfaces is a game changer for industrial materials that can benefit countless industries

There is one dust collection apparatus that is often overlooked for less expensive or older technologies that, in reality, boasts a wide range of use-cases. In fact, the applications for this device are so varied, that it warranted an article of its own. With such wide applications possible for these tools, they have the potential to impact the health and safety of workers in practically all industries across manufacturing, food production, metalworking, wood working, stone working, painting and finishing, pharmaceuticals, and more.

As employees and employers are becoming more acutely aware of the hazards of airborne particulate matter, fumes, and oil mists in the workplace, some illnesses that were considered rare only 20 years ago have skyrocketed in cases, primarily due to prolonged exposure to some kind of airborne particulate matter. COPD, silicosis, and popcorn lung are all examples of these impending health issues that have only recently surfaced in the vernacular. While many of these ailments have been known in medicine for multiple decades in some cases, very few of them have treatments that are near anywhere 100% effective in curing the damage caused by the lung tissues scarring.

These profoundly impactful particulate matter collectors, as you may have guessed, are collectively called “downdraft tables.” They are essentially specialized workstations equipped with built-in ventilation systems designed to capture and control dust, fumes, and other airborne contaminants. Here we will dive into some of the extensive range of uses for downdraft tables, showcasing their importance across manufacturing and beyond. 

Mitigate Particulate Matter with Dust Collection

The phrase ‘particulate matter’, often shortened to just ‘PM’, includes a wide range of airborne particles. In the manufacturing world, PM is an umbrella term used to describe microscopic particles which are generated as a result of common manufacturing processes. There are two types of particulate matter: PM₁₀, which are particles smaller than 10µm, and PM_2.5, which are smaller than 2.5µm. The finer PM particles are small enough to actually be inhaled, making them an alarming health hazard.

Particulate matter (PM) is a term that encompasses a range of air quality hazards. As defined by the EPA, PMs include solid matter like dust, dirt, soot, and smoke, along with some liquid matter like paint and solvents. These particles are generated through all kinds of processes, but they have an exceptionally large presence in the manufacturing industry.

Here at Diversitech we offer a broad range of dust collectors, fume extractors, and other air capture devices to help keep the ambient air in your shop free of hazards. With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose or even know where to start when it comes to selecting the right device for your operations. Today, we’ll be going over some of our most popular air pollution solutions to help narrow down which one is right for you.

Downdraft Tables Capture Contaminants at the Source

If your manufacturing process is generating particulate matter, you can’t go wrong with Diversitech’s DD Downdraft Table. Downdraft tables are standalone workstations equipped with a ventilated working surface which resembles a metal grate. While you work, a blower motor attached to the table vacuums up airborne contaminants through the ventilated work surface before they can negatively impact the air quality of your production facility, then deposits the contaminants into a dust collection receptacle. We refer to this as capture-at-source technology. Our downdraft tables are compliant with dust, smoke, and welding fumes capturing guidelines as defined by OSHA, so when you choose Diversitech you know you’re investing in a worthwhile safety measure for your workplace.

Our standard DD downdraft tables are well suited to be used for all kinds of cutting, fusing, and finishing operations. However, we do also offer application-specific kits which are designed to provide the most effective dust collection for certain operations. One of these is the welding/grinding/deburring (WGD) kit, which comes outfitted with booth walls and a metal mesh pre-filter for enhanced dust capture. The spray painting kit is equipped with the same booth walls, but also has an additional paint arrestor pre-filter, polytech filters, and reversible carbon canister afterfilters, along with a greater ventilation area on the tabletop surface. This same tabletop with added ventilation is what’s used on our plasma cutting kit. Lastly, the clean air workstation kit includes side and back walls, a dust and vapor proof light kit for improved visibility, and a backdraft hood. Get a closer look at our different models here.

Many industrial practices result in the creation of a byproduct known as combustible dust. This comes from a wide range of operations and industries- sand handling in foundries, grinding operations in metalworking, even waste conveying in woodwork can result in the production of combustible dust. While the idea of dust might seem like nothing to worry about, combustible dust poses an alarming risk to workplace safety. What defines combustible dust is its ability to cause an explosion when exposed to any form of ignition, regardless of its physical or chemical composition. This means that charcoal, aluminum, some resins, and even powdered milk can be considered forms of combustible dust. A combustible dust’s risk factor is measured by a value called KST: any form of dust that has a KST greater than zero is considered to pose a risk for explosion. The ignition of combustible dust is sadly not unheard of, and has proven to cause significant destruction of workplaces, lead directly to worker injury, and has even taken lives. It is not an issue to be understated or overlooked by any means.