Pressure System A fixed air compressor, with a capacity of over 250 bar litres is situated in the open air, outside the factory. It is powered by a 400v, 3-phase electrical supply, with a screw compressor feeding an air receiver, protected by a pressure valve. It operates at or above a 2.5 bar pressure and has been used by Cover Up for many years. When in operation it is very loud and creates hissing noises at various pipework connections. The information plate on the compressor has become difficult to read, but there is an operating procedure kept in the office. The procedure states the operating limits of the unit, although the system itself has never been measured or checked by workers. The pneumatic guns used for powder coating, and shot blasting are fed from this air compressor. Other air-operated equipment includes three compressed air blow guns located inside the factory. They are used to dry and clean materials by blowing any loose debris from them. Often workers use them to blow dust off their clothes before they go home. These compressed air blow guns are connected to the compressed air outlets, via ten-metre flexible hoses trailing along the floor. There is no indication of which flexible hose leads to which outlet other than following the line to its termination point. Workers feel it is a waste of time checking the pressure gauges as there is plenty of force behind the air stream. Shot blasting activity At the far end of the factory is a dedicated room that is used for shot blasting workpieces. This activity is not a daily occurrence but is for specific jobs. The workers find this activity dirty and uncomfortable to complete. Often this job is allocated to the most recently recruited worker. The process involves directing a high-speed stream of steel grit at the workpiece using a handheld pneumatic-powered gun. This room is separated from the rest of the factory by a heavy-duty door that opens into the room. This door must always remain closed during the shot blasting activity. Degreasing There is an area for degreasing, near to the roller shutter doors where workers manually wash workpieces with a solvent in preparation for coating. This area has recently become untidy and is littered with packaging remnants and discarded rags. When doing this work for the first time, workers are shown what to do. After this, workers are left to work by themselves. The solvents used have a flammable range of 0.8-6.5%, a flashpoint of around 11C and an autoignition temp of 283C. The degreasing process involves decanting the solvent into smaller containers. It is then applied to the workpiece by hand using rags. Some workers have complained of nausea and dizziness during this process. There is a risk of static discharge during the decanting and application processes. In this area of the factory, workers use localised lighting to provide adequate light during the task. A recent spill during decanting led to a small fire that, whilst dramatic, did not cause any damage. Workers on the factory floor saw the fire and did not know which way to go as an iron gate was leaning on the emergency exit door. They then fled towards the roller shutter door to exit the factory. The factory manager activated the fire alarm and extinguished the fire. They used the only available water fire extinguisher, located against a nearby wall on the factory floor. Coating The coating area is in the centre of the factory. Adjacent to this is the extraction system. The powder is pneumatically drawn through the electrostatic gun that is then used to spray the workpiece. Once covered, the workpiece is moved into an industrial oven next to the area and is baked at around 200C for 20 minutes. This ensures that the powder finish is appropriately hardened and bonded to the workpiece. Due to the industrial oven, temperatures in this work area can reach up to 40C during warmer months. Workers often wear short trousers and t-shirts to do the work and leave the roller shutter door open at these times.