Rules and Regulations with the Ventilation System

Workers have a right to work in a safe place. The laws are imposed on employer in order to make the work place better, by providing ventilation system, health support, equipment to safeguard from fire accidents etc in the work place. Some basic acts related to ventilation system are as follows. We can say, in terms of the government laws the definition of the industrial Ventilation system is the method to protect employees from airborne contaminants.

• The health and safety at work Act 1974 section 2(2)

According to this law the employer must provide and maintain a working environment that is reasonably practicable to ensure safe and secure workplace without any risks or hazards.

• The control of substances hazardous to health regulations 1999 (regulations 6,7,8)

Undertake the risk assessment and prevent or control the exposure of your employees to substances hazardous to health by using suitable control measures which includes general ventilation, maintenance, examination and testing.

Importance of HVAC

In industries the ventilation system along with heating and air conditioning is called as HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning). In pharmaceutical industry HVAC plays an important role in the manufacturing of the drugs. Some rules are as follows in this industry.

• The type of filters required for different industrial applications.
• Depends on the quality of the ambient air and the return air and also air flow rates.
• Follow the standard test method to check the actual filter efficiency.
• Materials for the components of an HVAC system must be selected in such a way that it should not become the source of contamination. Any component with the possibility of liberating or circulating microbial contamination into the air stream should be located up stream of the final filters.
• Ventilation dampers, ventilation filters and other services should be manufactured and placed so that they are accessible from outside the manufacturing areas for maintenance of the systems
• No person should become the source of the contamination at the workplace.
• HVAC air distribution components should be made, installed and placed to prevent contaminants generated within the room from being spread.
• High induction type air diffuses are not advisable in clean areas because the air introducing in the diffuse should be of low induction type to maximize the effect of flushing.

Setting up of rules and regulations will make the system run more effectively and ensure that life of people working inside the work place is not at risk. These rules and welfare laws are imposed on the employer by the Government to make sure the life of the worker is protected in many ways, without any adverse effects so that every worker leads a happy and healthy life.