Remove hard to reach ATEX dust that lies dangerously around your facility with a SpaceVac professional REACH system. UK designed and manufactured SpaceVac's super lightweight and strong carbon systems and ATEX vacuums tackle fugitive dust up to 20m high. Featuring our unique safety ‘click lock’ connecting.

The dangers of combustible dust

SpaceVac has been developing its state-of-the-art dust cleaning technology since 2013. The company’s innovations are driven by the severe consequences of combustible dust accumulation, which are highlighted by incidents like the 2015 Bosley Mill explosion in the UK, which killed four people. In this tragic case, inadequate dust management led to severe consequences for the business owner under the UK Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974. In the 2023 Combustible Dust Incident Report, produced by Dust Safety Science, global combustible dust incidents we recorded as;

- Fires - 174

- Explosions - 34

- Injuries - 73

- Fatalities - 62

Such incidents underline the importance of effective dust control and highlight the need for accessible, reliable solutions to prevent dust buildup in high-risk zones. SpaceVac’s systems aim to help businesses mitigate these risks by making high-level cleaning easier, safer, more productive and thorough.

Key challenges in high-level dust cleaning

Industrial facilities tend to have high-level structures where dust accumulates. These areas can include ducts, trays, light fixtures, and other architectural features, all positioned at heights that make them difficult to access.

Several factors make high-level cleaning especially challenging:

- Congested Architecture: Facilities may have intricate layouts with limited space between high-level structures.

- Limited Floor Space: Cleaning equipment often requires a lot of floor space, which can disrupt production.

- Load-Bearing Restrictions: Some floors cannot support heavy cleaning equipment.

- Height Variability: Different areas require different reach capabilities, which standard cleaning tools may not accommodate.

Given these constraints, the industry has traditionally relied on lifts, scaffolding, and two-person teams to access high-level areas. However, this method often requires additional insurance, training, and licensing for working at height, further increasing costs and risks.

Traditional high-level cleaning: limitations and drawbacks

Scissor lifts and scaffolding are commonly used for cleaning high-level areas, but they come with numerous disadvantages:

- High Costs: Lifts or scaffolding are expensive to rent or purchase, especially for facilities with extensive high-level architecture.

- Two-Person Operation: Traditional methods typically require two people for safety and operation, which increases labor costs.

- Restricted Access: Access equipment may not reach all areas, leaving parts of the facility uncleaned.

- Production Interference: Equipment on the floor can disrupt regular production, resulting in downtime.

- Height Restrictions: Not all equipment can reach the highest points in a facility, leading to inconsistent cleaning results.

- Working at Height: Compliance with legislation and associated operator risk

SpaceVac's solutions address each drawback with specialised tools and systems designed to reach high levels from the ground, making cleaning more efficient and less disruptive.

 

Higher. Safer. Faster. The SpaceVac way.                                       spacevacinternational.com