Compliance & Environment

Good to know – some legislation and guidance to be aware of!

As a British Compressed Air Society member, Aircare can support you or obtain the answers to your questions on anything compliance and best practice. While we endeavour to keep this page as up-to-date as possible, legislation is constantly changing and evolving so please feel free to give us a call.

Water Resources Act

The Water Resource Act (1991) was put in place to protect water sources from pollution. It defines the environment agency’s role in water pollution, resource management, fisheries, navigation and flood defence. It covers discharges to surface and ground waters, estuaries and coastal waters, and controls abstracting and impounding water. Under the act, it is an offence to cause or knowingly permit any polluting material (Poisonous, noxious, etc.) material or solid waste to enter controlled water. It is illegal to dump polluted water that has not been treated. This is punishable by imprisonment, fines or both.

Compressors can produce a mix of harmful toxins with water, which if left untreated can work its way to ground or be discharged without realisation of the consequence by the client to drain.

By simply fitting an oil water separator unit to your compressed air condensate points, following the recommended steps shown in the BCAS factsheet 301*. Which includes obtaining permission to discharge, you can achieve compliance. Please contact us for support.

Pressure System Regulations

Under the Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000, users and owners of pressure systems are required to demonstrate that they know the safe operating limits of their systems, and that they are safe under those conditions.

They need to ensure that a Written Scheme of Examination is in place before the system is operated, and to make sure that the system is examined in accordance with the written scheme.

All new and existing installations must conform to these regulations, and since 1989 it has been a legal requirement for every company with anything but a very small compressed air system to have a Written Scheme of Examination, primarily where the air pressure is greater than 0.5 bar (approximately 7 psi). This has to be reviewed regularly as assigned in your scheme.

Your Written Scheme of Examination should be drawn up by a competent person (as defined in the Regulations), and this is where we can help you!

Air Quality

Air quality standards required from your compressor and each piece of process equipment. Do you know what they are?

Not only do users need to consider breathing air quality requirements and ensure this meets the right standards, you are required to perform a regular checks, testing and maintain records. This is a legal obligation to your workforce.

Other air quality considerations are Food Grade applications. It is not just the quality of the compressed air that needs to be assessed in your assessment, it is the added ‘ingredients’ to the compressed air usually from the environment that cause the problem.Compressed air which is likely to come into contact with food stuffs or ingredients will require the highest level of purification.

Current food hygiene regulations introduce the requirement that food business operators put in place, implement, and maintain procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Points (HACCP)principles. The HACCP process should also include your vacuum equipment.

Noise

Is your compressor noisy? If so, are your staff protected with the required PPE? The cost of PPE for a large workforce and administration of this has been known to exceed the cost of compressor replacement.

Carbon Reduction

Reducing electrical consumption not only saves money but reduces your carbon emissions, both of which are major considerations for all Company’s. This is something that Aircare are committed to through energy audit, efficient equipment – compressors & downstream, intelligent and efficient controls, leak reduction and heat recovery to start ! We offer a full energy audit service and this will save your business money. Contact our sales team in the first instance by phone or email sales@aircarecompressors.co.uk