Smells Hurting Office Workers?

[Allegraman]

Hello Everyone!

Looking for some advice. We have recently moved into a 60,000sqft facility and have print production, sales, accounting and management in the same building. We did a 90% demolition and planed well out new facility and have the print production facility totally separated from office environment with hallways and double insulated walls, etc.

The issue we are having is our presses, (1) Heidelberg SpeedMaster 102 6 color with aqueous coater and (1) Heidelberg SpeedMaster 74 6 color with aqueous coater are "Smelly" to the office workers and are causing headaches and watery eyes for some office workers. We have verified this by having some worker work at home on alternate days to test this theory. And yes symptoms go away

The print production environment is 11,500sqft with sealed concrete floors and 22ft high ceilings to the roof deck. The presses are side by side and there is currently no venting above the presses or the aqueous coaters.

HVAC guys want to install exhaust fans on the ceilings to vent out air and say this should alleviate the problem. I am leaning towards hoods and a vent above coating units but fear it is going to be costly.

Suggestions, comments?

Thanks
Allegraman

[Dan Roll]

Some people are very sensitive to the smell of solvent and/or ammoina and there is little you can do to reassure them. The explanation that if you can smell a hot ham sandwich you have not actually ingested said sandwich is not very convincing to people who view any chemical as toxic. Your solvent supplier can advise you on products that have low odor or disperse easily.
Positive ventilation through the ceiling above the presses should do the trick. We make aqueous coating and the ammonia fumes present when we cut the resin are hundreds of times worse than the smell of the coating itself, but the vent fan through the wall above the resin station is effective enough that no one complains (unless we forget to turn the fan on).

[Bob Peterson]

The deliveries on both of these presses, if set up correctly, should have ventilation hoods. The hoods should be exhausted, via fan, through the roof. If the ammonia odor from the aqueous coating is still offensive additional ventilation should be installed.

[Green Printer]

Contact bestchemsupply they can help you with your problem.

[mattbeals]

It's not going to be inexpensive/cheap to put in the ventilation but it will be less expensive than the L&I claims and fines from OSHA. I'd start with the plans for the hoods and vents that the HVAC guys gave you and have them reviewed. It should solve the problem of the presses. But you may still have the issue of new construction smells from the carpets and paints to deal with. Maybe the HVAC guys have some ideas on central air/heating air filtration for the shop or a completely separate zone/system for the offices.

[CD102]

It's interesting that it apparently isn't bothering your production personnel.

[Lukew]

It's interesting that it apparently isn't bothering your production personnel.

This would most likely be because production personal have no doubt been around presses for years, and have come accustomed to the chemical smog of a pressroom...

There is no need to have this stinking, unhealthy smog though, and as Greenprinter noted in his post, that particular chemical line will solve the issue; also proves that there is no reason to have a stinking pressroom.

[RGPW17100]

People working in a chemical smelling environment don't smell it anymore they get used to it. Seems to me you will get better drying on your presses if you vent it outside. We were told this when we had our SM52 installed. We were told the fan exiting the fumes out takes moisture outside as well as the vapor. Hard to believe is would be more then a couple of thousand per press then again that is a lot of money but it really should be done.

[Allegraman]

Thanks Everyone!

HVAC contractor is coming in today to assess the exhaust fan 22ft up on the roof (No Vent or hoods) and also 2nd option of hoods and venting to the roof with exhaust fans

Allegraman

[mattbeals]

I know it's going to be more money but the hoods would be good. But I have to wonder if the vent fans may not also help vent/circulate the air and cool. Good luck.