Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season from Sentry Air Systems!

Indoor Air Dangers, Simple Solutions to a Serious Issue

The following article is by Contributing Author Allie Locke from MesotheliomaSymptoms.com

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The vast number of medical concerns that continue to emerge today, including immune system disorders, neurological issues, and multiple chemical sensitivities, indicate that indoor air quality remains a major health concern. Startlingly, indoor air often contains more toxins than outdoor environments. Furthermore, some of the products homeowners use for sanitary purposes actually contributes to the pollutant problems we see today. However, existing risks are often present in homes as well, especially if they were constructed more than 30 years ago.

Some dangerous materials, like asbestos, were once heavily used in construction and can actually lead to the development of lethal cancers and other diseases. The danger of asbestos lies in its tendency to fragment into small particles, which become suspended in the air where they can be inhaled and irritate internal organs. Unfortunately, mesothelioma symptoms often fail to appear until 20 to 50 years after initial exposure, mimicking those of other illnesses when they finally do appear. Many other air quality threats exist today, especially as these dangerous materials age and are broken into small particles.

The British Medical Journal recently explained that environmental and lifestyle factors in homes are the primary origin of many of the diseases seen frequently today. Unfortunately, until revisions to the Toxic Substances Control Act are carried out by Congress, the EPA is under no obligation to ban hazardous products. This means that homeowners are not always protected by government regulation. Furthermore, the EPA can do little to address homes manufactured with unsafe materials in the past. Families could conceivably risk decades of sustained exposure to these dangerous materials in their older homes without taking any precaution at all.

Because of the EPA’s inability to respond to all home air concerns, living in toxin-free environment is a responsibility homeowners must take on themselves. Although all home dangers cannot be immediately addressed, measures exist that can improve overall safety, such as not wearing shoes indoors, improving ventilation and using natural cleaning products. Fortunately, several industrial-quality filtration systems also exist to provide homeowners with the comfort and safety they deserve. Some of these units can provide significant protection, meeting HEPA filtration rates of 99.97% efficiency for particles .3 microns and larger. These systems can literally allow families to breathe easier in their homes, knowing they are protected.

Unfortunately, home air quality remains a largely overlooked health concern in the U.S. While much attention is given to easily-identifiable home dangers like poor wiring, Americans continue to neglect the direct threat pollutants pose. Although largely hidden and difficult to locate without professional training, these respiratory risks in older homes can be effectively dealt with through improved home filtration units. Ending the sustained inhalation of foreign particles is one of the easiest and most effective ways homeowners can protect the wellbeing of their families. However, until all Americans recognize the value of pure indoor air, these health trends will continue or even accelerate as homes age and dangerous materials continue to be exposed.

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For more information, visit:

• http://www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/- Mesothelioma Information & Facts


• "Respiratory Protection for Asbestos Dust Sampling"- Sentry Air Systems

Fume Extraction for Jewelry Makers

Jewelry Makers who utilize silver soldering, welding, epoxy resins, solvents, sanding, polishing chemicals, electroplating, and many other forms of art creation are very aware of the respiratory hazards involved. Fumes and debris are often a standard by-product of jewelry-making processes, from bead-making to metal-working.

In regard to studio safety, an article on http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com/ [Click here for the article] explains that "There are two basic ways to protect your lungs — good ventilation and an appropriate respirator. Adequate ventilation can be expensive, but the benefit to your lungs cannot be overrated."

Sentry Air Systems has been working with jewelry-makers for several years to improve respiratory safety in their commercial and in-house shops. As a company, we believe in air purification and fume extraction equipment that effectively captures airborne pollutants at the source before they are able to disperse into the room or into the operator's respiratory zone (source-capture equipment).

We offer several fume extraction configurations that cater to individual preference. Among these are portable bench-top units, floor units, wall-mounted units and hood-style units. All of these configurations are designed to capture harmful pollutants and direct them into the filter chamber, which is equipped with high-quality filtration media depending on the type of jewelry-making processes you utilize the most. HEPA filtration [up to 99.97% efficiency on particles .3 microns and larger], Activated Carbon, and Specialty-blended filter media are among the most common filtration options. Fumes are purified within this chamber before they are released back into the immediate room. With Sentry Air purfication systems, there is no need to duct outside (which can be quite costly).

Featured below are Sentry Air's most popular units selected by jewelry makers:

^ Pictured above is the Model 200 Floor Sentry [SS-200-FS] fume extractor, which can either sit on the floor while the hose is extended to the workspace, or it can serve as a bench-top unit. The included hose is flexible and self-supportive, which allows the operator to place it in the most effective position. To see a video and receive additional information on this product, visit our website.

^ The Model 100 Stainless Steel Floor Sentry [SS-100-FS-ST] is an ESD-Safe fume extractor with a self-supportive flex arm. It can be used as either a floor or bench-top model. To see a video and additional information on this product, visit our website.

^ The Model 100 Stainless Steel Solder Sentry [SS-100-SS-ST] is an ESD-Safe bench-top fume extraction unit. For additional information on this unit, visit our website.

^ The Model 200 Winged Sentry [SS-200-WSL] is a uniquely designed bench-top fume extraction unit with infinitely adjustable side "wing flaps". This unit can be assembled with or without a lid. For additional information on this product, click here.

^ The Model 200 Sky Sentry [SS-200-SKY] is a wall-mounted fume extraction unit with a self-supportive flex hose for source capture. For more information, click here.

For assistance in choosing the perfect fume extractor unit for your particular application, please call one of our Sales Representatives at 1.800.799.4609 or email us at sales@sentryair.com.

"Dancing with the Stars" Receives Mail Threat

Incidents like the threatening note and powder sent to the Dancing with the Stars production office last month (Click here for the story) occur frequently across the United States and world. Entertainment facilities, political institutions, religious establishments, businesses and many other institutes and organizations are threatened with unknown powder substances and threats via mail.

In 2001, the CDC released a Health Advisory that recommends how to handle Anthrax and other Biological Threats. You can find that information here.

Sentry Air Systems offers HEPA-filtered Mail Containments Hoods to improve mail handling safety. For more information, read our previous blog entry on the subject or visit www.mailsafetyhoods.com, our website dedicated to mail handling safety.

To discuss mail containment hoods with one of Sentry Air's Application Specialists, please call 1.800.799.4609 or email us at sales@sentryair.com.

Sentry Air Systems Receives GSA Contract

Sentry Air is happy to announce its acquirement of a GSA Advantage Contract for our Hood product lines (including Ductless Fume Hoods, Ductless Spray Hoods, Portable Clean Room Hoods, Exhaust Hoods, as well as filters and accessories) to better serve federal agencies and employees during their equipment purchasing process.

GSA Advantage is a government purchasing service of the General Services Administration that is designed to make government purchasing processes more streamlined and cost efficient.

You can find our products on the GSA Advantage Website (search for our company name or contract number), or visit our Company Website for more in-depth information on our GSA product lines:

Ductless Fume Hoods

Ductless Spray Hoods

Portable Clean Room Hoods

Exhaust Hoods

For additional questions regarding our GSA contract equipment, you can reach us at 1.800.799.4609 or email us at sales@sentryair.com.

Multi-Operator Fume Extractors

Sentry Air Systems offers a variety of options for those in need of multiple-operator fume extraction equipment.

The following source capture units offer a unique engineering control geared toward respiratory protection for multiple operators by utilizing strong fan suction and high-quality filtration media. Sentry Air's HEPA filters are composed of flame-retardant material and offer 99.97% efficiency on particles .3 microns and larger. Depending on the application performed by the operator, heavy-duty Carbon and specialty-blended material are also used for optimal protection.

The following units are available for dual-operator applications. Click on the links below each product for additional details:

[The Model 200 Floor Sentry Double]

[Model 300 Floor Sentry Double]

[Model 400 and 450 Floor Sentry Double]

Fume extraction equipment with four self-supportive flex arms are also available. The flex arms on dual and quad units can be taken on and off dependent on the user’s needs. Accessories (End Caps) are available to block arm holes at the base of the unit when not all of the flex arms are needed. Follow the links below each product for more details:

[Model 300 Floor Sentry Quad]

[Model 400 & 450 Floor Sentry Quad]

Pictured above is Sentry Air's conceptual multi-station extraction unit. For more information, read this blog entry or visit this unit's product page.

For additional information on multi-operator fume extraction, please call one our Applications Specialists at 1.800.799.4609 or email us at sales@sentryair.com

Product Spotlight: Portable Welding Fume Extractor

Sentry Air Systems’ Portable Welding Fume Extractor [Model SS-300-WFE] is a simple and effective solution for controlling welding fume and welding smoke at the source of emission. This industry-tested unit meets requirements for OSHA’s Hexavalent Chromium Standard and is typically used for applications including maintenance welding, production welding, clean room welding, mig welding, tig welding, and occasional stick welding.

The Portable Welding Fume Extractor is equipped with high-quality HEPA filtration that is up to 99.97% efficient on particles .3 microns and larger and features a flame-retardant, self-supportive flex arm for easy maneuvering and source capture placement. Other benefits include an exceptionally low noise level, heavy-duty casters and a limited two-year warranty on defects due to materials or workmanship.

In a test administered by a third-party Certified Industrial Hygienist in 2007, this unit proved to be 99.9% efficient (inlet vs. outlet) while welding 316 Stainless Steel. For a PDF version of this report, click here. Or watch the video below or further explanation.

Aside from the Model 300 Welding Fume Extractor, Sentry Air Systems offers a variety of other portable and wall-mounted welding fume extractors, including the Model 400 & 450 Portable Fume Extractors, pictured below. This unit is similar to the Model 300, but offers a more powerful fan and filtration system.

The Model 500 Welding Fume Extractor will be available in mid-January 2011.The Model 500 will be our largest Welding Fume Extractor ever sold. This system was engineered to handle heavy welding applications. Preliminary factory testing has proven that the fume extractor can hold upwards of 2,000 + pounds of welding wire prior to having to replace the filter. The welding testing was conducted under some of the most stringent conditions to illustrate the durability and longevity of this welding fume extractor.

To view and get more information on Sentry Air's welding fume extraction series, visit our website, give us a call at 1.800.799.4609, or email us at sales@sentryair.com.

Sentry Air Systems Case Study: Isoflurane Vapor Removal

We mentioned in Mid-November that we would be conducting efficiency testing on our Fume Hoods for use during applications involving the chemical Isoflurane- and the results are in!

Sentry Air's Winged Sentry Fume Extractor (Model # SS-300-WSL, pictured below during testing) proved to be 99.95% efficient in the removal of Isoflurane vapors. Please read the following third-party industrial hygiene report for the full details.

[The Model SS-300-WSL is pictured above during testing]

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE REPORT
Control of Isoflurane Vapor
In the Workplace
November 2010

Prepared by: Robert F. Adams
RF ADAMS & ASSOCIATES, INC.

Date of test: November 16, 2010

Control of Isoflurane Vapor in the Workplace

Introduction: Isoflurane is an anesthetic agent used primarily in hospitals and veterinary settings to anesthetize animals and humans preparatory to surgery or other medical purposes. Isoflurane is a halogenated ether and is a volatile, non-flammable liquid (b.p. 48.5o C or 119.3 o F). Its chemical name is (2-chloro-2-(difluromethoxy)-1,1,1,-trifluro ethane. It is relatively non-toxic and is always used together with air or oxygen, and sometimes with nitrous oxide gas. There is no established PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) or TLV (Threshold Limit Value), but an 8-hr. TWA (time-weighted average) exposure limit of 60 ppm has been set by one manufacturer1. Purchase of Isoflurane normally requires a doctor’s prescription.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Winged Sentry™ (Model SS 300 WSL) in collecting and removing Isoflurane vapor produced by the evaporation of a measured amount of liquid Isoflurane. The Winged Sentry™ was equipped with a HEPA filter and an activated charcoal filter. Note that only the charcoal is active in capturing Isoflurane vapors. Two models of the Winged Sentry™ are available (Model SS-200-WSL and Model SS-300-WSL).

[The Model SS-300-WSL was utilized for testing]

Discussion: Isoflurane is typically used for anesthesia purposes in a hospital room using a “vaporizer”, a machine which produces a precisely controlled mixture of Isoflurane vapor and air, oxygen and/or nitrous oxide and delivers it to the patient. Some Isoflurane may escape into the room air and can be a health concern for operating room personnel, since Isoflurane has poor warning properties and air concentrations could reach several times the recommended limit before being detected by odor. The Winged Sentry™ can be used to adsorb Isoflurane near the point of use, or for general room air purification. For purposes of this experiment a measured amount of liquid Isoflurane was distributed drop-wise from a burette onto several cotton balls placed in a shallow pan. The cotton provided a large surface area to facilitate the evaporation of the Isofurane. When the Winged Sentry™ was turned on, a stream of air was drawn across the cotton balls and into the Sentry machine.
1Hospira, Inc., 275 North Field Dr., Lake Forest, IL 60045.

Experimental: The air flow rate of the Winged Sentry™ was set at approximately 240 cfm (cubic feet per minute) and 40.4 ml (60.4 grams) of Isoflurane was dispensed from a 50-ml burette and evaporated into the air stream over a 30-minute period.

Air samples were obtained during the experiment using SKC 226-81A sorbent tubes and battery-powered sampling pumps (OSHA Method 103). The pumps were set to pull about 500 cc/min. and were pre- and post-calibrated. All personnel involved in the sampling project wore half-face, air-purifying respirators equipped with an organic vapor cartridge when Isoflurane was being handled. The operator also wore eye protection. Samples were taken at the inlet to the Winged Sentry™ machine, at the outlet of the Winged Sentry™ machine, and in the breathing zone of the Operator. The samples, including a blank, were sent to an AIHA-certified laboratory for analysis using gas chromatography (GC-FID).

[Sampling at the Inlet]

[Sampling at the Outlet]

Results: The sampling results are presented in the following tables.

Table I
Analysis of Samples collected for Isoflurane while using the Winged Sentry™
Inlet vs. Outlet

Table 2

Analysis of Personal Sample for Isoflurane while using the Winged Sentry™

*The recommended exposure limit (8-hr TWA) is 60 ppm; there is no STEL (short term exposure limit), nor are there any OSHA limits for Isoflurane.

Results and Conclusions:
1. The Sentry Air Systems Winged Sentry™ unit did an excellent job of removing Isoflurane from the air in the experiment described herein. The calculated efficiency of removal was 99.95% by weight.

2. The Operator was provided with excellent protection throughout the experiment. His potential exposure, without regard to his use of a respirator, was only 2.4 ppm for 30 minutes. Assuming no further exposure during the day, his 8-hr. TWA would have been 0.15 ppm, versus a recommended exposure limit of 60 ppm.

3. The Winged Sentry™ is recommended for use in operating rooms, laboratories and other workplaces for the control of Isoflurane vapor.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this report, please contact me at 713-983-7910 or by e-mail at BobCIH@aol.com.

Respectfully submitted,

Robert F. Adams, Industrial Hygienist
RF Adams & Associates

NOTE: The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for Isoflurane used in this project can be found at: http://www.medicalpurchasingsolutions.com/specials/Isoflura

Click Here for a PDF version of this industrial hygiene report.

For more information on the Winged Sentry and other air purification equipment for Isoflurane vapor control, please call a Sentry Air sales representative at 1.800.799.4609 or email us at sales@sentryair.com.