Monday, June 26, 2017

For Professional Dry Ice Blasting New York Is The Way To Go

By Betty Walker


It is no secret that the process of sandblasting is necessary in the modern way of life. However, it is also not a secret that the process can be very dangerous not just to the workers but also to the environment. Thus, ways need to be found to ensure that the process is still used, but only in a safe way. For proper dry ice blasting New York offers a good place to visit.

Sandblasting involves the use of various materials to gouge or clean surfaces or objects. There are several different kinds of materials that can be used, including coal slag, silica sand, nickel slag, copper slag, glass beads, steel shot, and steel grit. These materials are classified as toxic. Less toxic alternatives are dry ice, plastic bad media, baking soda, sponge, water, and ground shells.

The selection of the materials to be used should be based on several factors. These factors include job specifications, cost of material, workers health and environmental factors. The abrasive media should be chosen to match the type of surface being cleaned. For example it is dangerous to use glass beads on wooden surfaces. Therefore, the selection of abrasive materials should be done with care. It is advisable to test the materials on small areas before they can be used on the rest of the surface.

The use of toxic abrasive materials has resulted to certain health issues that make them unsafe. For instance, silica sand has been associated with breathing problems, lung cancer and silicosis. This has resulted in the banning of the use of silica sand in some areas. The use of silica sand without the authoritative permit is illegal in some jurisdictions.

Lung problems are known to be caused by garnet sand and coal slag. Studies show that the health problems resulting from coal slag are the same to those of silica sand. There are some materials that can also result in cancer, namely glass beads, copper slag and nickel slag. Steel shot and steel grit are not associated with lung damage of any type so far.

Abrasive blasting operations involve the use of heavy machinery. The kind of equipment used usually generates high levels of noise and dust. The surface that is being blasted may in some cases also contain hazardous materials. Such materials include silica and lead paint. Given the risks involved in this process, it is important to be careful before, during, and after blasting.

As part of being careful, less toxic materials named above should be utilized in this process. Also, abrasive materials that can be combined with water or other kinds of liquids should be used to reduce the amount of dust generated. As stated earlier, dust is usually generated in large quantities and for extended periods during the process.

The room in which the process is taking place should be isolated to prevent the dust from getting out into the environment or reaching other workers or people. Curtain walls can be employed in such cases. If the operation is being done on a smaller scale, blast cabinets can be used to contain dust. Proper ventilation can also help reduce risks.




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