Fan Manufacturers Association (FMA) warns building owners to choose the right fan to protect their business. Selection of the wrong fan could put your premises at risk and make directors liable under the law regulations.
FMA has worked with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to draw attention to the correct choice of fans. The primary factor of this is related to the latest ATEX Directive Regulation for fans.
President of FMA, Mark Jones says: “Currently, many business owners choose to ignore the ATEX Directive or don’t understand the legal process of the guide. This puts them at risk of facing unlimited fines or even imprisonment, nevertheless putting the occupants of the building in the extremely dangerous environment. “
The wrongly selected fan which fails to comply with the ATEX regulations could cause serious harm to both premises and the occupants in the hazardous day to day environments. The hazardous environments that use liquid or gases or flour in flour mills can result in equipment failure and lead to a dust explosion.
Mark adds: “Explosive environments exist in the most day to day situations, and the concept of equipment failure cannot be dismissed. There have been four deaths in the UK last year which appeared to be from a dust explosion. This identifies the importance of selecting the ATEX compliant fan to avoid fatal situation to appear in your premises.”
The revised ATEX Directive guide was produced to enable end users to get a full understanding of fan rules and regulations and to identify the potential risks when selecting a fan for their building. The guide highlights the legal fan standards and regulations including CEN 14986 standard. The new standard addresses the common fan issues and provides in-depth information on appropriate fan assessment which should be used to enforce laws and meet the requirements of all areas of the ATEX Directive.
HSE and FMA worked together and produced a guide which enables end users to have a clear understanding of the appropriate use of fans in potentially explosive atmospheres. It also highlights the fundamental rules, regulations and procedures which are easy to understand and allows them to reduce a potential risk of selecting the wrong product.
Mark Jones concludes: “Fan manufacturers have a choice to either follow the ATEX Directive guide and select a high-quality fan which is compliant with regulations. Or they can choose a cheaper price approach and be in danger of breaching the law and putting their business at risk.”
For further details or to download ATEX Guides visit: www.feta.co.uk
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