Solvent Recovery Equipment - Health and Safety Requirements

This month I want to share with you the Ontario Ministry of Labour Health and Safety requirements for solvent recovery equipment.  While these are the well established rules for using solvent recovery equipment in the province of Ontario, we do recommend you consult with your local municipality, province, city or state regulators to find out exactly what their recommendations are.

At Maratek, following Health, Safty and Environmental regulations is an important part of our business and this has meant that we have a safety record that we're proud of.  It is therefore important to us that our customers follow quality standards.

As we frequently sell our solvent recovery equipment to companies located all around the world, sometimes clear guidelines are not available.  Countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have regulations being developed for solvent recovery equipment. However, in the meantime, we recommend using the standards below as a sure way to ensure quality health and safety work conditions apply for all types of employees involved in the process of recovering solvents.

The following is an extract from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Engineering Data Sheet 4-16: Solvent Recovery Equipment. http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/eds4-16_solvent.php

Equipment for recovering solvents can be found wherever solvents are used; for example, in body shops. This information focuses on solvents that have a flash point of 149C (300F) or less and that are recovered by distillation after being heated to or above their boiling points. (Refer to Factory Mutual Loss Prevention Data 7-2, "Waste Solvent Recovery".)

Vapours produced by flammable solvents or solvents heated to their boiling point may form explosive mixtures with air. If such a mixture comes into contact with a source of ignition, an explosion or fire will occur. Potential ignition sources in a solvent recovery operation include arcs or sparks from electrical installations on or near the equipment. Other nearby ignition sources must also be taken into account, as well as the fact that many solvent vapours will accumulate and spread out near the floor because they are heavier than air.

To read more of this article - go to - http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/eds4-16_solvent.php