As part of their explosive atmosphere risk assessment the factory manager used their personal judgement and opinion to classify work areas into hazardous zones. They quickly decided to classify the whole building as Zone 1. Explain why this may not be the correct decision. Note: your answer must be based on the scenario only.

  
 

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SCENARIO Cover Up is an organisation specialising in powder coating metal components. They employ five factory workers, a factory manager, and two office workers between the hours of 8am and 9pm. They own a 400m2 factory building located in a large industrial estate with a car park at the front. The factory floor is an open-plan area where items to be coated are brought in through a large metal roller shutter door. They are then stored on the floor or against the walls near the roller shutter door prior to being worked upon. Also next to the roller shutter door is the main entrance door. This door is also an emergency exit door that opens out into the car park. Items that are powder coated can range from ducting components, household appliances, automobile parts, and ironwork such as gates and bicycle frames. Located on the factory floor are various pieces of equipment used in the preparation of items before the coating process. This equipment consists of a free-standing pillar drill, a bench-mounted grinding wheel, a powered hack saw, and a large workbench with various hand-operated tools. Evidence of overspray from the coating process can be seen in many places on the factory floor. Some powder and dust accumulations can be seen on machinery. To the right of the factory floor, there is an internal fire door leading into a corridor. Workers must push hard to get this door open. The door seal is frayed, and the door hinges have become bent. Leading off this corridor is an office, a kitchen area and toilet facilities. Advertising posters, certificates and framed pictures have been placed along this corridor wall, some of which partially cover fire notices. The kitchen area, situated opposite the office is available for workers to use during their breaks. In the kitchen area there is a microwave, sink, kettle, and a small wooden table and upholstered chairs. A labelled emergency exit door that opens out into the car park is located at the end of the corridor. As smoking is not allowed inside, some workers have a habit of wedging open the emergency exit door so that they can step outside to smoke a cigarette during their breaks. While walking through the factory, office workers have noticed rodent droppings and evidence of chewed cables. The electrical system within the factory has never been replaced or upgraded since Cover Up moved into the premises. A complete review and overhaul of the electrical system is being considered, as there are concerns about interruption to production. A pest control company will be contracted to regularly place rodent bait in, and around, the factory. The powder coating process The metal items to be powder coated are initially cleaned using degreasing solvents. This is so that the powder coat will stick to the bare metal. In some instances, the preparation and cleaning of the metal can be an aggressive process, involving shot blasting. The purpose of this is to remove any old paint or other residue, to return the work item back to bare metal. Using pneumatic electrostatic guns, the items are then covered with a dry coloured powder. For the powder to attach to the workpiece an electrostatic method is used. As the powder leaves the pneumatic gun it is positively charged, whilst the item is negatively charged. This causes the powder to stick to the metal. It is then baked (cured) in a large oven to achieve a permanent smooth finish. Once the baking process is complete the items are removed from the oven, allowed to cool, and then wrapped and packaged ready for despatch to customers. SCENARIO Cover Up is an organisation specialising in powder coating metal components. They employ five factory workers, a factory manager, and two office workers between the hours of 8am and 9pm. They own a 400m2 factory building located in a large industrial estate with a car park at the front. The factory floor is an open-plan area where items to be coated are brought in through a large metal roller shutter door. They are then stored on the floor or against the walls near the roller shutter door prior to being worked upon. Also next to the roller shutter door is the main entrance door. This door is also an emergency exit door that opens out into the car park. Items that are powder coated can range from ducting components, household appliances, automobile parts, and ironwork such as gates and bicycle frames. Located on the factory floor are various pieces of equipment used in the preparation of items before the coating process. This equipment consists of a free-standing pillar drill, a bench-mounted grinding wheel, a powered hack saw, and a large workbench with various hand-operated tools. Evidence of overspray from the coating process can be seen in many places on the factory floor. Some powder and dust accumulations can be seen on machinery. To the right of the factory floor, there is an internal fire door leading into a corridor. Workers must push hard to get this door open. The door seal is frayed, and the door hinges have become bent. Leading off this corridor is an office, a kitchen area and toilet facilities. Advertising posters, certificates and framed pictures have been placed along this corridor wall, some of which partially cover fire notices. The kitchen area, situated opposite the office is available for workers to use during their breaks. In the kitchen area there is a microwave, sink, kettle, and a small wooden table and upholstered chairs. A labelled emergency exit door that opens out into the car park is located at the end of the corridor. As smoking is not allowed inside, some workers have a habit of wedging open the emergency exit door so that they can step outside to smoke a cigarette during their breaks. While walking through the factory, office workers have noticed rodent droppings and evidence of chewed cables. The electrical system within the factory has never been replaced or upgraded since Cover Up moved into the premises. A complete review and overhaul of the electrical system is being considered, as there are concerns about interruption to production. A pest control company will be contracted to regularly place rodent bait in, and around, the factory. The powder coating process The metal items to be powder coated are initially cleaned using degreasing solvents. This is so that the powder coat will stick to the bare metal. In some instances, the preparation and cleaning of the metal can be an aggressive process, involving shot blasting. The purpose of this is to remove any old paint or other residue, to return the work item back to bare metal. Using pneumatic electrostatic guns, the items are then covered with a dry coloured powder. For the powder to attach to the workpiece an electrostatic method is used. As the powder leaves the pneumatic gun it is positively charged, whilst the item is negatively charged. This causes the powder to stick to the metal. It is then baked (cured) in a large oven to achieve a permanent smooth finish. Once the baking process is complete the items are removed from the oven, allowed to cool, and then wrapped and packaged ready for despatch to customers.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

In explosive atmosphere risk assessment classifying a work area as Zone 1 suggests that the area has an environment where an explosive atmosphere is l... View the full answer