Diesel engines are common in in the mining workplace, so it’s vital that workers are conscious of the breathable levels of the fuel’s emissions present in the air. Diesel emissions analysers can be used to track these levels, and make sure personnel are working in safe and habitable conditions.

Monitoring atmospheric diesel in a mine is very important. Short-term overexposure to diesel can irritate the eyes, skin or respiratory tract, and cause dizziness, headaches and nausea. Long term overexposure can cause serious complications like kidney damage, increased risk of heart attacks and even lung cancer.

Mine operators looking for a diesel emissions analysers need look no further Carroll Technologies Group. A leading supplier of mining safety technology to over 800 mines across North America, Carroll’s solutions can be easily shipped from 13 distribution centres across the country.

Carroll Technologies Group stocks and recommends the Flir Airtec Diesel Particulate Monitor (DPM) for its customers’ diesel emissions analysing needs. This lightweight, portable device can be strapped to a miner’s belt, attached to a vehicle or mounted on a wall in a high-risk area, displaying real-time elemental carbon levels on an LCD screen.

The Airtec is one of the most sophisticated diesel emissions analysers on the market

The device is user-friendly with an intuitive operating system, meaning personnel at all training levels will be able to use the software. Highly sensitive to changes in atmospheric diesel levels, its alarm will be triggered whenever these emissions reach a dangerously high level.

Miners are then able to modify vehicle use, their positioning or the ventilation system accordingly, to minimise diesel emissions in the air around them or remove themselves from an area where it cannot be contained.

The device is also compatible with the Windows operating system, so multiple diesel emission recording sessions can be logged and tracked over time. The Airtec also has a battery life of over 12 hours of continuous use, or can be connected to an AC system for constant stationary monitoring.

Before systems like Airtec, mines relied on a labour intensive, time consuming process of analysing diesel emissions. Samples of air would be collected from the site and sent to an outside lab for analysis, a process which could take weeks before yielding results.

The process was regulated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), known as method 5040. The Airtec is able to meet the same laboratory grade standards as NIOSH 5040, in just a fraction of the time.

Any customer of Carroll Technologies Group who may find themselves struggling with their purchases is welcomed to call the 24/7 MinerCare support line. Highly-skilled staff are on hand to provide all needed technical support, and can provide same day delivery for products and parts.