Information Center — Explosion Proof

Paint booths (or spray booths) can reduce risk of fire or explosion. They also keep workers and the environment safe from fumes that degrade the ozone layer and make people sick; however, paint booths can only offer safety controls if used properly. It is important to take the proper safety precautions before beginning a project or working with paints. Before considering paint booth work, you must obtain a permit from local authorities or the EPA. Check on regulations concerning the use of high-velocity, low-pressure spray guns.   If you’re at work using a paint booth, be sure you have the...

An explosion-proof fan is a type of industrial ventilation fan that helps to prevent fires and explosions in commercial and industrial applications where certain types of dust, gases, vapors, or particles are present. Since industrial fans have metal blades and housing, there are many ways a spark can ignite in around metal, dust, and fumes. Here is one scenario: A metal object could hit a fan blade, causing a spark. The spark is then ignited by fumes. A fan company cannot promise that fans will be completely explosion-proof, but this type of fan is made to minimize accidents caused when...

Inline duct fans are installed in remote locations to boost airflow and provide ventilation. They’re accessed by air ducts and allow noise reduction for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. They can be operated manually, or they can be installed with automatic controls. Inline fans come in single and multi-port models to provide ventilation for home, office, and industry. Inline explosion proof exhaust fans are required for industrial applications where dust, fumes, flammable fibers, and other ignitable materials are used. They are used when ventilation is necessary in small spaces or when space is at a premium, and many local, state,...

According to the EPA’s Engineering and Research Laboratory, using ventilation exhaust in industrial settings is especially important when considering the impact of manufacturing and synthetic chemicals on the environment. Especially important is the risk to human health that presents itself to industrial workers on a daily basis. Commercial fans help reduce the impact of pollutants for people who work around welding, blasting, grinding, polishing, solvents, dip tanks, oil mists, dusts, or tiny fibers. Exhaust fans draw gasses away from the main source, reduce noise from output, and lower the concentration of emissions from the entire process. A well-designed ventilation system...

They’re characteristic of any paint booth – let alone many other industrial settings. What do they all have in common? They produce fumes that have the potential to combust – causing an explosion that could not only injure you and your co-workers, but could also wreak havoc on the environment and indoor air quality if not properly disposed of. But there’s one simple solution to keeping your paint booth safe and fume free: explosion proof fans, or non-sparking fans. Specifically, these types of fans work to filter out fumes and particles from a hazardous location while minimizing the chances that...