Industrial vacuum cleaners are generally designed to pick up small or large spills and messes in industrial type manufacturing facilities. For instance, heavy duty industrial vacuums are equipped to handle Hazardous materials including concrete dust and debris, dry or wet spills, chemical spills, coal dust, fine powders and other combustible materials.
OSHA has estimated that 30,000 U.S. facilities of all industrial types may be at risk for combustible dust explosions. Because of this OSHA has recommended that facilities use certified explosion proof vacuum cleaners to eliminate combustible materials from work sites and facility workspaces.
How to Shop for Explosion Proof Vacuum Cleaners
If your company is working with combustible materials then your workplace maintenance program should include explosion proof vacuum cleaners to remove hazardous dust and other particles. How do you find such a vacuum? Check with heavy duty industrial vacuum manufacturers.
When contacting the manufacturer make sure you ask specifically for industrial vacuums that have been certified as explosion proof. Not all industrial vacuums have this feature. Look for vacuums that are explosion proof/dust ignition proof and are built from the ground up to prevent explosions. Make sure the vacuums are certified by legitimate NRTLs (National Recognized Testing Laboratory).
In addition, check that all parts of the vacuum are grounded and constructed with non-sparking materials including inner and outer parts as well as accessories. Don’t accept standard models as explosion proof just because they have a few accessories or add on parts that claim to eliminate static.
Research is Key
The most important thing to remember is to do your research. Find a particular make or model that your company wants to go with and then research it. Don’t take the manufacturer’s word for it when it comes to ensuring the vacuum is explosion proof.
At the same time, make sure the heavy duty industrial vacuum cleaner also features other necessities such as filtration systems, large capacity containers for pickup, and safety on and off modes. Oversized pleated filter cartridges, reverse pulse filter technology to prevent clogging, fully grounded and sealed construction, and overload protection are also critical when it comes to safety.
Research the products and compare model specs and features to determine the right vacuum for your company. A quick buy is not always the best buy when looking for explosion proof vacuum cleaners.
