Safety Considerations For Industrial Draught Fan Operations

By Author: Neel Rao
Total Articles: 131
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Industrial draught fans are among the most important elements of many factories and plants. It is due to the presence of these fans that many processes get completed smoothly in these facilities. At the same time, safety is a highly pivotal consideration when speaking of operating draft fans. There are several moving parts housed in any industrial fan. Any negligence can gravely jeopardize the well-being of several employees.

It could sometimes also lead to life-threatening situations for the people working in the plant/factory so the safety aspect has to be given the required attention.

Firstly, the blades of the impeller that are rotating are denoted as being the most hazardous elements of draught fans. Even a slight contact with the blades can seriously imperil the very life of the particular individual. Therefore, suitable guards for impeller as well as for shaft must be fixed for these blowers; they markedly reduce the risk of such mishaps.
On some occasions, even when the draught fan is not turned on, the blades can start rotating due to just a slight wind. And, this small movement can pose a big risk ...
... for the people around, too. Hence, before beginning any maintenance work, a key precaution should be taken. It must be ensured that the blades and other moving parts of the fan remain stationary until completion of the job.
The schedule of maintenance specified by the fan manufacturer has to be carefully followed. In this respect, even a minor deviation can lead to potentially risky situations for people working in the plant/factory. This point ranks among the most salient guidelines applicable to all facilities having draft fans.
When the draught fans are switched off, it is always better to wait for some time before stepping inside. This is not without a valid reason. As these blowers continuously handle hot flue gasses, they take a little time to get cooled even after they are turned off. Any attempt to handle the fans before that is not advisable for safety reasons.
It must be made sure that things like small metal pieces, tools, and debris are not there near the blowers. Otherwise, they could either get sucked in or be blown towards people in proximity at high speed. Both these possibilities are dangerous.
An exhaustive risk assessment has to be carried out under the supervision of experts. These experts thoroughly examine all the blower components like belts, blades, and shafts. Thereafter, appropriate measures to reduce the operational risks of draught fans are listed by the experts.
Many models of these fans are now available on the market. So, it’s preferable to choose those variants where the operator is not required to frequently handle the blades and other internal elements. Reduced exposure automatically brings about a decline in the corresponding risks.
While checking draft fans for any possible defects, it’s always safe to depend on the correct personal protection equipment. Here, the employee/operator must not discount the significance of protective gear like gloves and safety goggles.
Whenever maintenance/inspection work is being done for fans, it should be made certain that there is sufficient ventilation within the premises. With this, the employees are safeguarded against excessive exposure to noxious gases and other contaminants.
Apart from what has been mentioned above, there are many more safety considerations. All those could not be included here due to a paucity of space.

Reitz India is a leading manufacturer and supplier of premium centrifugal fans that find wide usage in heavy industrial applications especially for ID fan and FD fan. Reitz India has incorporated latest technology in induced draft fan and induced draft fans design and fabrication to provide energy efficient solutions with high quality manufacturing standards.