The costs of hiring a contractor to test your compressed air lines on site can quickly add up, have you ever considered carrying out your own tests?

The use of breathing apparatus using compressed air is a vital component of maintaining safety standards on site. The breathing air produced protects workers that wear respiratory devices to breath safely in spray booths, car body shops, diving gear, laboratories and other applications such as where isocyanate paint mixtures are used. It enables safe breathing whilst wearing personal protection equipment and minimises the risk of overexposure by ensuring a clean air supply. If compressed air becomes contaminated at any point your employees are at risk of suffocation.

By frequently testing your own compressed breathing air sources you can have confidence that your breathing apparatus is safe to use leaving your employees are protected. If you find yourself testing more than one air supply at a time, or have to carry out multiple tests per year then why not purchase your own unit?

Here are three reasons why we think you should:

1. There’s no escaping legislation – you must comply with BS EN12021 and COSHH

In compliance with the guidelines set out by the HSE it is stated that you must test your compressed air source at least every 3 months. Whereas BS EN12021 stipulates the maximum concentration of contaminates, oil mist, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, safe level of oxygen and dew point.

2. More bang for your buck

Existing customers have found that the AIRQUAL-1 is more attractively price than its competitor models. In comparison to being tied in a yearly contract with a maintenance company which can cost anything up to £200 per test, the cost of ownership provides a good, short return on investment. After the initial cost of purchasing the AIRQUAL-1, ongoing costs are really affordable compared to paying a contractor.

3. The flexibility to test breathing air at a time that suits you

Though it is stipulated that breathing air is subject to a quarterly test, something as simple as moving the compressed air source can contaminate the line, suggesting that another test would have to be carried out. Using your own breathing air test kit allows you to quickly identify and rectify issues, should the need arise, without waiting for a call out at a time that suits your contractors schedule. By carrying out the test with your own people you can easily schedule the tests around your workload minimise disruption to your working day.

To help you carry out regular tests, as outline in BS EN12021, a1-cbiss have designed a conveniently packaged breathing air quality test kit. The AIRQUAL-1 comes with everything required to for an ‘on the spot’ test. At 7kg and packaged in an aluminium casing, the AIRQUAL-1 is rugged, lightweight and does not require charging, meaning that it can even be used in situations where power isn’t accessible.