Smells Hurting Office Workers?

A

Allegraman

New member
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
 
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).
 
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.
 
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 said:
It's interesting that it apparently isn't bothering your production personnel.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
properly working exhaust are start but a small fraction of fixing the problem. You must eliminate or extremely reduce the cause of the oders.
Without any change in your consumables the oder will never go away. Our facility has been virtually oder free for 7 years. Bestchem&supply helped us.
 
Last edited:
Mobile Purifiers

Mobile Purifiers

Proper air flow and air exchanges are key. There are many mobile air purification systems out that are on wheels that utilized activated carbon with coconut shell based carbon for the best absorption of fumes. Placing units like these closest to source. Also very important. Keep all containers on the floor closed. So many press operators that I go into keep drums of solvents and other products in open containers. This is not a good management practice. ICA (Island Clean Air) units are one unit that you may wish to look into for a mobile air scrubber solution as well. Sorry for getting to you so late on this. More info if you are interested at [email protected]


Allegraman said:
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
Click to expand...
 
Lots of suggestions of controlling the symptoms and not fixing the problem. I would think that changing to a process that doesn't give off all of the noxious odors would be easier and more cost effective.
Running fans and motors and filters uses lots of electricity has a big initial investment along with a increased electric bill each month while still not fixing the problem of the chemicals giving off odors.
Moving the odors and noxious fumes outdoors subjects any nearby business or residence to the same fate. Absorbing the fumes into charcoal concentrates the pollution and it could be considered Hazmat waste when the charcoal becomes saturated requiring it to be exchanged for new.
 
Allegraman said:
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
Click to expand...

What did you do to fix the problem?
 
I am the 4th generation of our family running a small print shop. Just like my father, my brother and I were raised here, and none of us have ever had any ill effects from the solvents. My grandparents who worked here running linotypes, both lived into their nineties and died from heart failure. My first impression is that they are over reacting.
 
Green Printer said:
properly working exhaust are start but a small fraction of fixing the problem. You must eliminate or extremely reduce the cause of the oders.
Without any change in your consumables the oder will never go away. Our facility has been virtually oder free for 7 years. Bestchem&supply helped us.
Click to expand...

I read that as having being order free for 7 years, that would also work to reduce the smell...;.)
 
Dan Roll said:
if you can smell a hot ham sandwich you have not actually ingested said sandwich
Click to expand...
Actually. you are absorbing something of it. Smells are physical transfer of molecules. Molecules fit into receptors in your olfactory sensors (nose) and signal the brain. Solvents, being far more volatile than a ham sandwich, physically transfer a good amount of material in the air. :unsure:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

PressWise

A 30-day Fix for Managed Chaos

As any print professional knows, printing can be managed chaos. Software that solves multiple problems and provides measurable and monetizable value has a direct impact on the bottom-line.

“We reduced order entry costs by about 40%.” Significant savings in a shop that turns about 500 jobs a month.

Learn how…….

   
Back
Top