Wood Dust Northampton

Hazardous Substance Assessment in Wellingborough

A recent hazardous substance assessment was carried out at a recycling facility in Wellingborough to evaluate the levels of exposure to dust and lead in various work areas. The facility primarily deals with recycling uPVC windows, which can produce dust and other contaminants during the process.

The air monitoring focused on areas such as Bay 1 and Bay 2, where materials are sorted and processed. The results indicated that while inhalable and respirable dust levels were below the Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs), further testing is recommended when the machinery in Bay 2 is fully operational. Lead exposure was also found to be minimal, staying well below the recommended limits.

Key recommendations included minimising the use of compressed air for cleaning, improving housekeeping practices, and ensuring that local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems are properly maintained. The report also suggested rotating staff between tasks to reduce individual exposure and using enclosed cabs for forklift operators to limit dust inhalation.

Overall, the assessment confirmed that current control measures are effective but stressed the importance of ongoing monitoring and adherence to safety protocols to maintain low exposure levels in the workplace.