The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sat Sep 26, 2015 9:08 pm**

Hi folks, been a while so I hope you're all well.
This has been niggling at me for a while but this blow up with VW has got me thinking again.
What levels of Nitrogen Oxide do you reckon our mini diggers and plant tend to spew out?
I spend days on end sat on various open cab machines in tight spaces and gardens and have started to get a bit anxious about the damage I could be doing to myself and the staff. NI OX is cancerous, so I was wondering do these machines have DPF filters or are we all just a ticking bomb now in the same vein as asbestos and Silica dust. Because they work at low revs compared to cars and are more efficient do they produce insignificant amounts for us to be worried about.
Happy saturday :laugh:

Posted: **Sun Sep 27, 2015 10:00 am**

hey pablo
nice to see you are well
last time you were on you were on about chucking it?
I recall years ago a site agent telling me that one breath of fumes from the big old diesel mixer was equivalent to smoking 20 fags
but it is what it is
I am sure stuff we do now will be laughed at in 100 years time but we can only do our best with what we have
cheers LLL

Posted: **Sun Sep 27, 2015 7:38 pm**

It's a good question and I'd like to know the answer too. I think about it regarding my chainsaws and trimmers etc. I've run on Aspen fuel before to reduce carbon emissions but it's just too damn expensive.

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:03 am**

If your out in the open air then far less chance of harmful levels due to dilution and wind we have a big 1m fan on wheels now when working at the factories inside. They made use slip it in our method statement little petrol e fines worse like floor saw sends the gas metres wild

we have these for going in pits or confined areas

working the honda engined floor saw with big fan on in a massive warehouse sets it off clipped to lapel of saw operator,

http://www.tester.co.uk/crowcon....dwAEDWw

Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1443435683

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 2:15 pm**

So why not use electric floor saw? Also you can get air tools, drills, saws etc:

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 6:38 pm**

Not bailed yet Tony, Things have picked up marginally enough to keep me at it for now but I'm keeping my ear to the ground for any opportunity to jump ship and re-train for more stable career.
Working in a garden with high hedges etc or between post war tightly bunched housing ,there can be very little airflow to dilute the fumes. Do u know if small diggers etc are fitted with DPF filters Giles?

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:22 pm**

My tb108 doesn't have one and I have not seen any small diggers with dpfs fitted but to be honest have never really looked for one on any of the ones we have hired in.
There are dpfs fitted to larger machines but alot of manufacturer's have redesigned head and valve designs to meet the standards without the need for a dpf or soot collection system
Not sure if there is a minimum cc / bhp / or use that there needs to be for it to need to meet the emmisions standards

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:33 pm**

That's a decent sized gas detector use to work on pipelines and the units we used had a multi display with 4 or 5 percentages for different gases but they were a lot bigger and more awkward

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:42 pm**

have to say I see lots of digger drivers with fags on the go and massive guts
think the diet or smoking might get them before the diesel fumes

digging by hand of course makes us carbon neutral :;):
LLL

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 9:04 pm**

Bar site work alot of digger drivers stay in the cab all day the only time there up on their feet is to take a leak or go back home

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:20 pm**

Pablo wrote:Not bailed yet Tony, Things have picked up marginally enough to keep me at it for now but I'm keeping my ear to the ground for any opportunity to jump ship and re-train for more stable career.
Working in a garden with high hedges etc or between post war tightly bunched housing ,there can be very little airflow to dilute the fumes. Do u know if small diggers etc are fitted with DPF filters Giles?

latest tier 4 modern big machines use ad blue and regenerative filters where they burn the carbon off with high temperature.

but small engines are exempt certain size it applies to but all mini and midis are too small

sean ive seen diesel floor saws but electric wouldnt be great with water suppression, and not seen an air powered 450mm+ floor saw?

we have the big roller shutter doors open and the fan on the health and safety manager is happy with the levels shown on the gas detector

Posted: **Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:24 pm**

whacker neuson do a dual power mini digger with remote hydraulic power pack

http://www.wackerneuson.us/en/innovative-solutions/dual-power.html

think you need 415v power though

The Brew Cabin

Nitrogen oxide