Egmont Air are passionate about providing tailored solutions that improve workplace safety and efficiency. One of our recent projects with Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research exemplifies this commitment. Landcare Research, a Crown Research Institute renowned for its work in biodiversity and land management, approached us with a challenge involving their Environmental Chemistry Laboratory in Palmerston North.

The Challenge: Managing Hazardous Soil Dust

The laboratory, known for its ISO17025-accredited soil analysis services, faced issues related to dust generated during the grinding process. Fine soil dust particles, released during tasks such as soil tumbling, tray pouring, and bin tipping, posed serious health risks to staff. To mitigate this, employees relied on P2-rated masks and powered-air respirators. However, this protective gear often became uncomfortable and impractical for prolonged use.

The fixed extraction system in place was designed for welding fumes and failed to adequately capture soil dust from multiple generation points. This left staff working in less-than-ideal conditions and equipment exposed to constant dust accumulation.

Our Solution: Tailored Dust Extraction Systems

After visiting the site and gaining a clear understanding of the workflow, Egmont Air proposed a comprehensive “capture at source” solution. Our design centred on three wall-mounted back-draft hoods, semi-enclosed to efficiently capture airborne dust at its source. This was complemented by a dust-bin port and connected to the Egmont CDC2-8 Cartridge Dust Collector Unit, driven by a high-efficiency PRM7.5Hp Fan.

Key features of the system included:

• Cartridge Filtration Technology: Industry-leading technology for filtering fine particles with high efficiency and automatic reverse-pulse cleaning.
• Optimised Airflow: A calculated airflow of 4,380m³/hr ensured effective dust extraction.
• Energy Efficiency: A Variable Speed Drive (VSD) enabled the fan to adjust suction levels based on operational needs, achieving up to 50% energy savings.
• Noise Reduction: Advanced fan design and a silencer ensured a quieter work environment.

We also included a modular ducting system for seamless integration and a Vacuum Flexi Clean-Up Kit to maintain cleanliness across the laboratory.

The Result: A Cleaner, Safer Laboratory

Landcare Research selected Egmont Air not only for the effectiveness of our proposed solution but also for our collaborative approach. By tailoring every aspect of the system to their unique requirements, we provided a custom, scalable solution. Our commitment to visit the site, answer questions, and refine the design ensured that the system met their needs.

The installation was completed with minimal disruption to laboratory operations. Post-installation follow-ups confirmed the system’s success in capturing soil dust efficiently, significantly improving the work environment and reducing the reliance on personal protective equipment.

We asked Landcare Research why they enjoyed working with Egmont Air, here’s what their Senior Technician, Linda Hill, had to say:

“Egmont Air began with a visit to site to see our grinding process in action, enabling a full understanding of how and where the dust was generated. From here they drew up a proposed system with schematic concept drawings and a costing. Richard made several follow-up visits at our request to provide clarification and answer questions, and made some minor tweaks. In comparison, other suppliers that were invited to quote provided what seemed like off-the-shelf solutions that weren’t as customised to our specific situation, and the advantage with the Egmont Air Dust Collector is the compact size, minimal height and the fact it’s so quiet.

 

Once we were happy and ready to proceed, we received final approval diagrams to sign off on. Construction of the custom manifolds proceeded quickly and the system was installed with minimal disruption to our workflow. Richard followed up after we had been using the system for a while to see how it was working for us.

 

Overall, it was the combination of a product solution that met our needs, combined with the willingness to visit us on site to answer the numerous questions that we had that made us happy with our choice of Egmont Air.”