Intro to cabin pressure
Vehicle cabins are a critical control, isolating operators from harmful airborne dusts in the outside environment. To ensure cabins are working to protect workers, they require regular maintenance. Generally, this involves regularly replacing seals, cabin filters and maintaining positive pressure within the cabin. Testing the effectiveness of seals and the air-conditioning system requires the plant to be parked up for additional maintenance time.
By measuring air pressure inside versus outside of the cabin, you can determine how effective the cabin is at controlling dust from entering the cabin. This is a recognised method that can replace traditional subjective cabin testing with an objective, real-time solution that informs planned maintenance.
Information on how the cabin performs is also valuable for informing personal exposure monitoring exceedance investigations.
Real-Time
Verify the effectiveness of cabin isolation controls in real-time.
Optimise Maintenance Schedule
Save maintenance costs by accurately assessing filter and cabin seal effectiveness and predict maintenance intervals.
Limit Downtime
Reduce the downtime required for visual safety inspections and smoke bomb testing.
Comply With Legislation
Consider continuous pressure monitoring for fixed or mobile.
Comply With Technical Standards
ISO 23875 and EN 15695 call for air quality testing of operator enclosures.
How does it work
Our solution involves placing a wireless sensor inside the cabin to measure differential pressure (inside and outside of the cabin). The sensors regularly feed data directly to the cloud over a cellular connection, providing you with real-time information displayed in a dashboard that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
Sensors can be installed into as many cabins as required, with gateways (data receivers) positioned throughout the site to receive the data. This replaces the traditional after-the-fact and subjective methods of monitoring cabin integrity, and replaces them with an objective, real-time solution.
GCG will also provide additional data analysis in a monthly report outlining potential worker exposure and maintenance insights. GCG specialists analyse the real-time data and provide insights to minimise the impact to maintenance personnel.
POOR SEALS AND INSUFFICIENT PRESSURISATION
EFFECTIVE SEALS AND POSITIVE PRESSURE
GCG will also provide additional data analysis in a monthly report outlining potential worker exposure and maintenance insights. GCG’s qualified occupational hygienists are available to provide additional support and advice upon request, or when we see trends in the data that we think you need to be made aware of.
The Dashboard
The dashboard is automatically updated with the most current data available and provides you with instant access to critical information.
This real-time information is useful for identifying risks as they’re occurring, identifying emerging trends and developing maintenance schedules.
The solution includes GCG specialists analysing the real-time data and providing insights to minimise the impact to maintenance personnel.
Device Specs
The solution uses differential pressure sensors to take the measurements and cellular gateways to capture and transmit data to the cloud.
Differential Pressure Sensor:
Battery-powered (AA) +3 years
Wireless Sensor
Measures 140 x 90 x 141 mm
Cellular Gateway (data receiver):
Can be powered by 12V power supply within mobile plant
Can be powered by 240V charger if mounted at go line or crib huts
Back up battery power
Measures 127 x 96 x 38mm
Installation Gallery
Installation of the sensors and gateways (data receivers) is simple and takes less than ten minutes per cabin. The sensors operate wirelessly and are easily mounted using screws or zip ties and 3M tape.
Tubing is run through existing grommets for external sampling and a filter is added on external tubing to prevent dust/water ingress.
Enquire Now
For more information about TechLab, please contact Adam O’Malley. Adam is a Senior Occupational Hygiene Consultant and the Innovation Projects Lead at GCG.
He has extensive experience providing advice and solutions to clients and is passionate about using technology to support clients in protecting their worker’s health.
