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A.4.5 Compressed air for breathing apparatus 

from EN529 

 

A.4.5 Compressed air for breathing apparatus (EN12021) 

 
A.4.5.1 General 

 
A compressor system will have produced the compressed air supplied to a breathing apparatus. The compressor system 
may be used for filling individual high-pressure pressure vessels or those on a mobile trolley or to supply air direct to 
breathing apparatus and other air-tools used in the workplace. 
 
Contaminants can mix in compressed air at various stages of its production and supply. Any presence of contaminants in 
acceptable quantities will render the air unsuitable as “breathable air” and can threaten the health and safety of the 
respiratory protective device wearer. For this reason quality assured compressed air should be supplied to a breathing 
apparatus. EN12021 stipulates the minimum quality standards for breathable compressed air and includes the levels for 
oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, lubricants, water and other types of contaminant and odour.  

 

A.4.5.2 Compressor system 
 
A.4.5.2.1 General 

 
A competent person should be consulted when planning or installing a compressed air system for producing breathable 
air. This will help to minimise problems associated with compressors and the down stream effects on the quality of the 
air supplied. Table A.2 provides a summary of the main elements associated with a compressor system for producing 
breathable air. In addition to the careful and installation of the system it should be maintained by a competent person 
to ensure the safe operation of the system. 
 
The compressor should be installed in an area providing sufficient space on all side to ensure good ventilation. The area 
should be cool as possible but avoid place where freezing is possible. The air intake point should be located in open air 
and away from potential contaminants (e.g. not close to ventilation outlets or in down stream of the outlets or near 
vehicle exhaust emission points).  

 

A.4.5.2.2 Air purification elements 

 
The air purification elements should be placed in the correct sequence to ensure the delivery of acceptable quality 
breathing air. These purification elements should be replaced in accordance with the advice provided by the competent 
person  and the manufacturers of these elements. 

 

A.4.5.2.3 Testing and inspection 

 
The volume flow and quality of the supplied air should be thoroughly tested as specified by a competent person after 
risk assessment. 
 
Permission to reproduce extracts of EN529 is granted by BSI. British Standards can be obtained from BSI Customer 
Services, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL. Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 9001. email: 

[email protected]

 

 
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0

 

 
 
 

 

Summary of Contents for F4500

Page 1: ...F4500 F4500ED SAFE AIR TESTER OPERATING MANUAL FAC QAM 181 Issue F 03 21 ...

Page 2: ...1 ...

Page 3: ...5 6 Continuous Oxygen Reading Reviewing Test Results 20 21 7 Exporting Test Results and PC Software 22 Appendix 1 Helpful Tips 24 Appendix 2 Draeger Tube Tip Cutter 25 Appendix 3 Reading the Draeger Oil Impactor and Chemical Reagent Tubes 26 Appendix 4 Breathing Air Standard 31 Appendix 5 Breathing Air Quality Testing Why 32 Frequency of BA Tests Recording results 33 A 4 5 Compressed Air for Breat...

Page 4: ... Impactor the degree of oil contamination is displayed on a screen Calibration and Warranty Safe Air Testers leave our factory with a 12 month warranty and calibration certificate Our standard turnaround on annual calibration is 10 working days providing there is no major damage that requires an extensive rebuild Allow an extra 5 working days for calibration of ED versions Note Please download all...

Page 5: ...r tubes Tube Tip Cutter F2193 Connection adaptor terminating in a CEJN plug Stylus Pen Optional Extras F3005 20 Bar Regulator F3002 200 300 Bar 5 8 DIN thread High Pressure Regulator Battery Tray Mains Input USB Connection Power On Air Inlet Flow Control Valve Colour Touch Screen Display Sintered Outlet Oil Water Carbon Dioxide Carbon Monoxide ...

Page 6: ...power supply To install the alkaline AA batteries lift the tester out of its case open the battery drawer at the rear of the unit and place the batteries inside Note It is important to strictly observe polarity when fitting batteries and ensure that they are correctly located During use the battery condition is displayed on the screen as shown below If the tester is to be used adjacent to a power ...

Page 7: ...The F4500 series has 2 battery level displays the left hand one is for the alkaline AA batteries if fitted The right hand one is the rechargeable internal lithium battery Unless the instrument is connected to a mains power supply the instrument will use the highest of the 2 battery power sources Please note if alkaline AAs are inserted whilst the unit is on their battery level will not be displaye...

Page 8: ...proceed See Section 4 Reviewing Test Results for further details 3 Selecting the test standard and configuring the instrument From the main menu press the Configure icon In the configuration sub menu there are 3 icons available from left to right these are Set Date Set Time the instrument uses a 24 hour clock Set units of measure and test standard To set the date press the calendar button on the d...

Page 9: ...to exit To then exit from the configuration sub menu to the main menu press the arrow at the top left of the screen 4 Initiating a Breathing Air Test Having selected the breathing air standard EN12021 in the configuration screen to carry out a test press the Begin Test icon on the main menu The unit will automatically calibrate the oxygen cell against the surrounding atmosphere the unit therefore ...

Page 10: ...lternative chemical reagent tubes see appendices 2 and 3 For breathing air tests the standard option is to select a Draeger oil Impactor The unit has 4 breathing air test programmes available Airline Systems up to 40 bar top left High Pressure Charging Compressors top right High Pressure Systems up to and including 200bar and High Pressure Cylinders above 200bar All of the high pressure tests requ...

Page 11: ...the breathing apparatus Fit the appropriate adaptor to the Tester first and then connect the supply hose to the adaptor A test can be carried out at any pressure between 2 and 10 bar Note If the unit is over pressurised it will automatically shut down and display an overpressure warning it will then need to be returned to the manufacturer for checking and resetting Input pressure will be displayed...

Page 12: ...to simulate the conditions of use Press the arrow key to proceed if the flow and pressure meet the minimum requirements for your RPD Note At high flow rates hearing protection should be considered Carry out the odour test and smell the air exhausted from the sintered outlet If there is a serious odour problem fail the sample at this point of the test by pressing the fail button Initiating flows of...

Page 13: ...serted into the test ports and tightened firmly ensure the Impactor has an intact protective seal This seal must remain in place for the duration of the test Press the button in top right hand corner to start the test The test will now commence and the duration will be displayed as a countdown together with pressure flowrate ambient temperature and oxygen content During the test the flowmeter shou...

Page 14: ...he back of the manual The tube readings should also then be entered push the button corresponding to each chemical reagent tube Input the reading from the tube and press the arrow icon in the top right hand corner of the screen For the water tube reading there is an on screen note if you selected the 50 to 2000mg m3 scale to confirm that the reading you enter will be automatically multiplied by 10...

Page 15: ...riteria which did not meet the standard The photograph opposite is an example of a failed test where carbon dioxide failed to meet the requirements of the selected standard For airline systems less than 40 bar the pressure dewpoint i e the point at which water will begin to condense into a liquid form in the airline must be at least 5 degrees centigrade below the lowest temperature at which the sy...

Page 16: ...re you leave the inlet adaptor on the instrument and only disconnect at the end of the supply hose The adaptor can then be disconnected afterwards if required To turn off the Tester use the return arrows to return to the main menu screen and press the X in the top right hand corner of the screen Note The unit will automatically turn off after a few minutes if left unused at the main menu screen ...

Page 17: ...lator has the correct type of connector for the cylinder Connect the regulator hose coupling to both the regulator and the inlet of the Tester Open the cylinder valve and check that the cylinder is fully charged by reading the contents gauge on the regulator A partially discharged cylinder can give an incorrect water result The pressure displayed on the tester will be that of the regulated supply ...

Page 18: ...due to a low battery Replace the batteries and repeat the test if the screen reappears then the unit should be returned to Factair for investigation Once the purge has finished the Water F4500 only CO CO2 and Draeger Impactor oil tube should be inserted into the test port and tightened firmly ensure the Impactor has an intact protective seal This seal must remain in place for the duration of the t...

Page 19: ...s The Impactor can now be removed and evaluated To enter the results press the corresponding icon on the screen Note Instructions on reading the Impactor can be found in Appendix 3 at the back of the manual The tube readings should also then be entered push the button corresponding to each chemical reagent tube Input the reading from the tube and press the arrow icon in the top right hand corner o...

Page 20: ...and the atmospheric dewpoint are provided If the test was a fail an orange exclamation mark would be indicating those criteria which did not meet the standard The photograph opposite is an example of a failed test where carbon dioxide failed to meet the requirements of the selected standard The test result is automatically recorded in the instrument s memory which can store up to 20 previous tests...

Page 21: ... calibration mode Note If the temperature is greater than 40 C inside the instrument the calibration will operate for an extended period to stabilise the Oxygen cell The instrument will then change operating modes to continuously display the oxygen reading connect your air source and the instrument will continue to provide a reading until you press the arrow key in the top corner ...

Page 22: ...ate and time when the test was completed To review a previous test select it then press the right hand arrow To delete a test highlight it then press the trash can button All tests can be deleted by selected the multiple trash can icon Note Once the instrument has saved 20 results you will unable to complete further tests until you have removed at least 1 of the stored tests ...

Page 23: ... in the download section of Factair s website http www factair co uk downloads Then click on the File drop down menu and select import test results from F4500 via USB connection You will then be able to choose the location where you would like test results to be stored Individual test records can be opened from the file drop down menu by selecting Open an F4500 test results file ...

Page 24: ...sufficient for the RPD by selecting pass or fail as appropriate Note In addition there is an option of entering N A against these categories In this instance the resultant test certificate will only validate air quality and exclude validation of the pressure and flow When complete you can save the test result file and if required print off a certificate In the UK Health and Safety Executive guidel...

Page 25: ... tube tip cutter ensure only a light pressure is applied to the tube whilst rotating for scoring General Make sure the system flow control valve is closed after each test Connecting an air supply to the Tester with the system flow regulator in the open position can damage the unit Never connect to a non regulated supply from an HP cylinder or compressor Maximum inlet pressure to the Tester is 10 b...

Page 26: ...ss from falling out of the opener by accident The reservoir for the broken off tips is easy to empty Instructions 1 Place the end of the tube between the 3 blades and turn to score the end 2 Push the tube at an angle to break the tip 3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other end of the tube ...

Page 27: ...ities of oil For tests that pass with an oil concentration of less than 0 05mg m3 the screen will remain blank For tests above that read as follows The bottom line represents an oil concentration of 0 1 mg m3 When the oil deposited forms a continuous line then the concentration is in excess of 0 1 mg m3 The middle line represents a concentration of 0 5 mg m3 again when the oil deposited forms a co...

Page 28: ...te crystals will show a yellow discoloration Note best seen by comparing with an unused tube 1 Using the Tube Tip Cutter place the ampoule section in the platform at the bottom Note Make sure the tube is against the back wall of the cutter Line up the black dot nearest the end of the tube with dot on the cutter 2 With one hand holding the cutter the other holding the tube and with your thumb again...

Page 29: ...S THE UPPER LIMIT 25MG M A reddish brown discoloration will show the extent of the water content which is read from the scale printed on the tube in mg m When using the 50 2000 range setting the tube reading is multiplied by a factor of 10 i e a tube reading of 150mg m becomes 1500mg m Carbon Dioxide CO2 67 28521 REQUIREMENT MAXIMUM READING OF 500 PPM The media in the detector tube will discolour ...

Page 30: ... of concentration read directly from the scale in parts per million For the CO2 tube 67 28521 there is an option to adjust the test volume up by a factor of two to increase the number of scale points This option can be set within the setup menu as shown here When entering the test results into the tester the tube reading shall automatically be divided by two to reflect the actual reading as shown ...

Page 31: ...ia the company s normal industrial waste disposal method s i e landfill or incineration OR Place the tubes in a sharps or glass bin wearing protective gloves and safety spectacles Dispose of the bin via the company s normal hazardous waste disposal method s i e landfill or incineration OR Place the tubes in a sharps or glass bin wearing protective gloves and safety spectacles Dispose of the contai...

Page 32: ... the apparatus is used and stored at a known temperature the pressure dewpoint shall be at least 5 C below likely lowest temperature Where the conditions of usage and storage of any compressed air supply is not known the pressure dewpoint shall not exceed 11 C Water High Pressure 40 to 200 bar 50 mg m3 200 bar 35 mg m3 HP Charging Comp 25 mg m3 Above is an extract only for full details refer to th...

Page 33: ...rcooling will result in air entering the filtration at too high a temperature this will cause the filtration to prematurely fail and pass excess levels of oil and water Malfunctioning dryers can disturb the oxygen concentration to outside safe levels within the breathing air High levels of water in breathing air can freeze within RPD demand valves causing the air supply to fail Insufficient air fl...

Page 34: ...ity is tested whenever it is first moved into a new position or prevailing wind conditions change The final decision on frequency of test is the responsibility of the Employer and needs to not only reflect local legislation but also the task and frequency of use It should be incorporated into their risk assessment and updated regularly to reflect results from ongoing breathing air tests to maintai...

Page 35: ...he condition of the equipment and details of any defect found including for canister or filter respirators the state of the canister and the condition of the filter for self contained compressed air gas breathing apparatus the pressure of air gas in the supply cylinder and for powered power assisted respirators and breathing apparatus the volume flow rate to ensure that they can deliver at least t...

Page 36: ... quality of the air supplied Table A 2 provides a summary of the main elements associated with a compressor system for producing breathable air In addition to the careful and installation of the system it should be maintained by a competent person to ensure the safe operation of the system The compressor should be installed in an area providing sufficient space on all side to ensure good ventilati...

Page 37: ...equency of use When the air supply is from mobile compressors the employer should ensure that wherever a compressor is located the quality of air it supplies is not compromised by nearby contaminants In every case the air supplied to a breathing apparatus should meet the relevant quality standard As it is not reasonably practicable to test for all contaminants the risk assessment made under regula...

Page 38: ... is not in use The adequacy of the accommodation will vary according to the quantity type and its use eg pegs labelled lockers shelves or containers etc The storage should be adequate to protect the PPE from contamination loss or damage by for example harmful substances damp or sunlight Where quantities of PPE are stored equipment which is ready for use should be clearly segregated from that which...

Page 39: ...s compatible with the BA Never place the hose inlet near to potential sources of contamination eg vehicle exhausts Never use the equipment without the waist belt Never use a light duty airline hose where there is any potential for crushing by vehicles or passers by etc Never keep working if the airflow rate drops or any warning devices are activated Leave the work area immediately Appendix 3 Quali...

Page 40: ...t to as low a level as possible and shall be far below the national exposure limit Combination effects of more than one contaminant shall be taken into account 1999 Respiratory protective equipment at work Page 48 of 59 Periodic testing of air quality 5 The purpose of periodically testing air quality is to make sure that the control measures you have put in place are delivering the air quality req...

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Page 44: ...43 Factair Ltd 49 Boss Hall Road Ipswich Suffolk IP1 5BN UK Tel Sales 44 0 1473 746400 Tel Hire 44 0 1473 746444 Fax 44 0 1473 747123 Email enquiries factair co uk www factair co uk ...

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