Resistant materials workshops and ICT

[plexer]

What are peoples thoughts on having ict equipment i.e pc, printers, interactive whiteboards and projectors permanently located in resistant materials workshops.

 

My main concern has always been the dust generated in these rooms.

 

Ben

[srochford]

whiteboards are not too much of a problem. The filters in the projectors clog up but they can be cleaned (and you need to do it otherwise the dust gets inside and they die). Computers don't have air filters and will get clogged up.

 

We teach plastering (which I suspect generate far more dust!) - PCs don't last terribly long so they don't get new machines there!

[Snuffkins]

Well we have staff pc's, smartboard 680i's in our rooms. Don't really have any issues as yet. We don't have any student pc equipment in the rooms but they do have laptops as a solution. Haven't had any hardware problems so far and it's been a couple of years.

 

Just need slightly more regular preventative maintenance than the regular rooms. When we were putting all our kit in the rooms i wasn't too worried having seen how bad the condition of factory equipment gets and the environments they're in.

 

I wouldn't worry about it to much to be honest. But as srochford said, if you don't clean the projector filters they're not going to last long in there. Maybe every month or two they'll need a good clean and they'll last as long as any other then.

[dhicks]

My main concern has always been the dust generated in these rooms.

 

You could use fanless PCs - search the forum / Google for "fanless" or "car PC" for a couple of companies that do the bits. I'm sure I've seen projectors in pubs and whatnot that had heavy-duty filtering systems of some kind fitted to deal with cigarette smoke. Don't know if those are still sold, what with the recent change in smoking legislation. Hmm, actually, might mean there's some going second hand?

 

--

David Hicks

[OverWorked]

We have a low-spec PC and decent Promethean IWB in our DT room. The PC is driving the CNC machine which cuts MDF most of the day, and is right next to it.

 

We put them in there a couple of years ago thinking there would be problems with dust, but haven't had any.

Edited June 13, 2008 by OverWorked
spelling

[CyberNerd]

There must be extraction facilities so that dust is removed, it is a breach of heath and safety law if it isn't fitted in a workplace.

 

Key controls for wood dust

 

* Dust control:

o Provide dust extraction (also known as local exhaust ventilation or LEV) at woodworking machines to remove dust before it can get breathed in.

o Keep the extraction and collection system maintained to make sure it continues to work efficiently.

o It is a legal requirement to have dust extraction equipment examined by a competent person at least every 14 months. (Your insurers or LEV supplier may have competent persons who can do this for you.)

o Use a vacuum system to clear up wood dust – either a free standing vacuum cleaner or preferably a vacuum pipe attached to your extraction system. Vacuum cleaners should be suitable and have a HEPA filter.

o For particularly dusty tasks such as sanding use RPE as well as LEV.

 

* Don’t use airlines or dry sweeping to clear dust away:

o Using airlines and dry sweeping of wood dust can cause high peaks of dust exposure and simply spread the dust around.

 

* Carry out health checks:

o Because wood dust causes asthma, you need to make sure that any health affects are picked up early. This can be done using health surveillance.

o For most woods, a low level of health surveillance is sufficient. This consists of a questionnaire administered before anyone starts work where they are exposed to wood dust, and then repeated annually. These questionnaires also provide information on what to do if you think someone has been affected.

o A higher level of health surveillance, including lung function testing, is needed for exposures to western red cedar which is a known asthmagen.

 

 

Woodworking industry occupational health and safety advice

[Geoff]

To stop dust getting in the PCs, go into town and invest in some ladies tights. Chop these up into vent sized bits and gaffer tape them inside the PC over the case vents. Remember to change them every few months.

[srochford]

There must be extraction facilities so that dust is removed, it is a breach of heath and safety law if it isn't fitted in a workplace.

 

 

Of course, and that's often the problem!

 

In order to extract the dust you have to suck it from where it's being produced to a big extractor fan and then shift it outside. In doing that you drag it past PCs, projectors, people etc and just generally help to spread it around!

[CyberNerd]

Of course, and that's often the problem!

 

In order to extract the dust you have to suck it from where it's being produced to a big extractor fan and then shift it outside. In doing that you drag it past PCs, projectors, people etc and just generally help to spread it around!

 

No, it usually gets sucked through pipes. It would be counter-productive to blow it around the room.

 

We have an extractor system fitted in our workshops (it is the law...). The room isn't excessively dusty - but probably dustier than your average classroom - no real problem with PC's so far.

[StuartC]

We teach plastering (which I suspect generate far more dust!) - PCs don't last terribly long so they don't get new machines there!

 

Lol, the workshop, where old pc's go to die.