Due to concerns over exposure to lead, the soldering industry has moved toward the use of lead free solders; these tend to be a tin/copper alloy. In order to compensate for the removal of lead another flux substance has to be used to aid the flow of the solder. One of the most commonly used fluxes is rosin or colophony. When heated, rosin creates fumes (known as Rosin Based Solder Flux Fume – RBSFF). This fume is composed of two fractions, the particulate fraction contains rosin sublimates and thermal decomposition products, which are predominantly a mixture of diterpentine acids, this fraction makes up approximately 90 % of the total fume. The remaining gaseous phase of the fume is composed of low molecular weight organic compounds including acetone, methyl alcohol, aliphatic aldehydes and other hydrocarbons.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are the government body responsible for the regulation and enforcement of work related risks to people in the work place. Dust & fume exposure is a key element of the COSHH 2002 (Control of Substances Hazard to Health) regulations setting out exposure limits, preventative guidelines and on going reductions of the contact between people and hazardous gas and particulates. Under COSHH, companies must take steps to prevent, control, maintain and monitor dust and fume exposure in the workplace, as laid out in regulation 9.
According to the HSE, around 13,000 workers in the UK die each year from historic work-related exposure to airborne contaminants at work leading to lung disease and various cancers. These figures are estimated to be attributed to past exposure, primarily to chemical and dust at work.
All Companies and Employers using extraction equipment have legal requirements they must undertake. All equipment must be examined and tested in order to comply with Regulation 9 of the COSHH Regulations. The Employer must make sure that equipment is maintained and in efficient working order and of good repair. A thorough test should be undertaken once every 14 months and in some cases far more frequently. It is also a requirement of the employer to keep a suitable record of the test. All for a period of at least 5 years. This record should also include details of repairs carried out as a result of the test. See more info on HSE LEV Testing.
Thousands of British workers contract occupational lung diseases such as occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease each year. Many people die or are permanently disabled by these conditions and are unable to work. People develop these diseases because they breathe in too much dust, fume or other airborne contaminants at work, often because control measures do not work well enough. Most industries are affected, including woodworking, welding, paint-spraying, stonemasonry, engineering and foundry work.