OEL concerns prompt launch of new range

Arange of isolators and downflow booths that are claimed to offer guaranteed containment levels between <1µg/m³ and 10µg/m³ (8hr TWA) is now available from Hosokawa Micron's Containment Division. The booths have been developed for applications where the management of specific dust containment levels is critical to filling and weighing operations and to the safety of personnel. Tests carried out by independent occupational hygiene and environmental consultants, Genesis Environmental, confirmed the capability of the isolators to achieve and maintain airborne dust containment levels of less than 1µg/m³ and that the downflow booths were capable of maintaining personal exposures below 10µg/m³ during monitored activities. Hosokawa says the testing was carried out under strict control at its premises, using paracetamol as the tracing material. According to Hosokawa, the technology has been developed in response to health and safety legislation, and increasing concentration and toxicity of active ingredients in pharmaceutical production leading to the demand for lower OELs to safeguard personnel in daily filling and weighing and product transfer operations. "It is important for the end user to appreciate that working practices can still have a significant effect upon the employee's exposure in practice, despite the effectiveness of the containment equipment," said David O'Malley, managing director, Genesis Environmental. "The results reflect accurately what can be achieved in an installed environment, provided that isolators are installed, commissioned and operated under correct conditions." Consisting of a keg infeed compartment and a tipping unit into a second compartment, the Stott filling and weighing isolator is said to be ideal for dispensing small amounts of product within a contained environment into a small charge container. The operator is able to remove product by scoop and weigh product on the integrated weigh scale before depositing the product into a tundish for access to the small charge container. The isolator also enables complete keg emptying if required. The small charge container would normally be used for feeding the reactor and be small enough for safe manual handling.

Solids transfer isolator The Stott dry solids transfer isolator has a tipping unit for the accurate dispensing and dispatching of product from keg to keg under controlled batch preparation criteria. Once in the isolator's main compartment the keg is raised pneumatically and sealed into position before tipping. The seal can be quickly changed to accommodate varying sizes of keg. Once the drum is open, manual transfer is possible by scoop. The Stott product sampling isolator combines barrier containment technology with a new Stott automatic sampling device, which is said to ensure both minimum operator exposure levels and accurate powder sampling requirements are met. The design is suitable for materials presented in kegs, sacks and boxes, with the test carried out on an isolator designed specifically to handle a range of drum sizes. The dual compartment isolator can be fed and emptied manually or with automated lifting equipment. Designed for product sampling activities, the Vitalair sampling booth allows samples to be mixed in the open on an integral work bench and decanted into sample containers. Meanwhile, the Vitalair weighing booth facilitates the manual transfer of product, by scoop, from one keg to another placed on the centrally located weigh scale. Designed for the transfer of bulk powders with high OELs from kegs to an IBC via a hopper and chute, the Vitalair dispensing booth utilises full keg emptying procedures. The twin workstation booth is also designed to handle small charge container filling with materials having low OELs. Incorporated into the work table is a waste port to allow safe disposal of empty keg liners.