Essential Negative Pressure Unit Insights

Choosing A Negative Pressure Unit? Three Questions to Ask First

Because using some Negative Pressure Units can be labour-intensive, and their correct function is safety-critical too, choosing the right unit can save a great deal of time and budget.

Our quick read checklist explains how to pick the right spec for your project plus explains how SA Equip’s own SA CYCLONE Negative Pressure Unit can transform the efficiency of tasks like asbestos work and in settings like offshore sites where every minute counts.

Our advice? Don’t review your Negative Pressure Unit options without considering these factors first…

Negative Pressure Units: Essential Considerations

The need for a Negative Pressure Unit when working with substances like asbestos comes, of course, from a requirement to keep harmful materials contained.

But not all Negative Pressure Units are created equal. Why? As factors like the time involved in setting a unit up, and the performance of the unit in hazardous areas where an ATEX solution is needed, can vary greatly.

These questions will help identify whether an advanced ATEX compliant solution like the SA Equip Negative Pressure Unit would add a great deal of efficiency to your project…

• 1, Will the unit be used in a hazardous area? Keep in mind that standard Negative Pressure Units are not suitable for hazardous areas.

Tip: Using a standard Negative Pressure Unit in a hazardous area means additional risk assessments, personnel and more. It may also involve an additional ‘outer’ habitat. All in all, a significant investment in installation and monitoring vs a single Negative Pressure Unit designed specifically for hazardous areas.

Recommendation: Assess not just the equipment cost but the planning, set-up and monitoring commitment involved in using a standard Negative Pressure Unit in a hazardous area vs the requirements of a ATEX compliant Negative Pressure Unit for both asbestos and hazardous areas.

• 2, Is it a time-critical site (eg offshore working)? Challenging worksites such as offshore facilities involve, of course, a greater budget commitment. Like other potentially explosive environments, such as chemical plants and many more,  the cost of delays when on-site can be extremely impactful to a wider operation.

Tip: Think Negative Pressure Unit efficiency, and the effect this can have on a project, in terms of ease of transport, set-up and use. Consider also the reliability of the equipment and maintenance requirements as part of the overall efficiency picture.

Recommendation: Specialist EX equipment rental can be an ideal way to analyse the positive impact of a piece of equipment at every stage of a task.

• 3, Do you use ventilation systems for other tasks? Choosing a modular Negative Pressure Unit rig means equipment such as the Air Mover can be working elsewhere when a Negative Pressure Unit function isn’t needed.

Tip: Also take account of the modular offering from a rig in terms of multi-purpose use when considering ROI.

Recommendation: Using the SA Equip Negative Pressure Unit with the renowned SA CYCLONE EX Air Mover adds a high-performance portable EX ventilation solution to your equipment inventory.

Questions about the right Negative Pressure Unit solution for your specific project? Just ask. Our EX equipment specialists will be glad to help.

Negative Pressure Units: A Closer Look at the SA Equip SA CYCLONE NEGATIVE PRESSURE UNIT

A unique solution already trusted by professionals worldwide bridges the gap between Negative Pressure Unit performance, ATEX certification and extreme ease of use.

The SA CYCLONE Negative Pressure Unit provides a sealed temporary habitat for tasks like controlled asbestos removal and features:

✓ Modular design as part of the SA CYCLONE system

✓ Meets BS8520 Part 2 and HSE Guidance HS247

✓ Fully transportable

✓ Extraction of up to 2146 cubic metres per hour when used with the SA CYCLONE Air Mover

✓ Ultra durable construction

✓ Weatherproof

✓ Extreme ease-of-use by design

✓ Suitable for Hazardous Areas Zones 1 and 2

✓ 77 kg weight (plus pre filter assembly = 83 kg total inc transit plate) 

✓ Only : 936 (l) x 700 (w) x 806mm (h)

An innovative roving head allows the user to place the ducted pre filter module at a specific location away from the main unit, for example in a L shaped habitat or past a fixed obstruction (via mobile pre filter module, connected via flexible ducting). The benefits do, however, need to be balanced against a reduction in airflow through the Negative Pressure Unit.

A manual damper allows configurable operation, with the average airflow from the 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% open settings matched to 190m3, 265m3, 295m3 and 300 m3 enclosure sizes respectively.

Find technical specs and certifications for the SA CYCLONE Negative Pressure Unit here.

SA CYCLONE Negative Pressure Unit is an EX compliant system for providing a controlled negative pressure inside a temporary habitat. Other applications include, asbestos removal, Offshore platforms, Oil refineries, Vessels and tanks, Confined spaces, Chemical plants, Shipbuilding and repair and Utilities
SA CYCLONE Negative Pressure Unit is an EX compliant system for providing a controlled negative pressure inside a temporary habitat, and meets the requirements of BS8520 Part 2 and HSE Guidance HS247. Developed to be used when carrying out asbestos removal in potentially flammable atmospheres, it can also be used in other scenarios where negative pressure is required, including when removing lead-based paint. Designed as part of the SA CYCLONE modular system, the NPU is used with the SA CYCLONE Air Mover and Ducting, to create a total EX compliant solution for use in hazardous zones 1 and 2.

ATEX & UKEX: Equipment Sourcing Made Easy

Why SA Equip? Because most SA Equip products are purpose-made for hazardous areas (an industrial range is also available), you’ll find ATEX, UKEX, IECEx and INMETRO certified units designed for extreme efficiency across SA Equip’s range of portable heat, light, air and power products.

• SA FLEXIHEAT: Ultra-robust certified equipment including the superbly durable SA FLEXIHEAT Ex Heater.

• SA LUMIN: Superbly reliable hazardous area lighting, such as the SA LUMIN EX LED Worklight 100, the SA LUMIN EX LED Worklight 200, SA LUMIN Emergency Worklight and the SA LUMIN EX LED Tower Light.

• SA CYCLONE: Trusted worldwide and meeting ATEX, IECEx, INMETRO and UKEX standards, products including the SA CYCLONE Ex Air Mover deliver uncompromising performance.

• SA POWERNET: Because safe power matters in a hazardous working area, products like the SA POWERNET EX 400VA Transformer offer exceptionally rugged portable power across EX Zones 1 and 2, 21 and 22.

An in-house product development team can even devise a bespoke solution.

Most of all, SA Equip brings almost 100 years of pacesetting service and knowledge – with a foundation in the most extreme shipping and oil industry environments – to customers across heavy industry, aerospace, defence, utilities, pharmaceuticals, distilling, power stations and more.

Simply speak to a member of the SA Equip team for help to choose the right portable equipment for your hazardous area project.

See also: ATEX Ventilation & Your Confined Space Project, Making Light Work of Illuminating Hazardous Areas