Why exhaust gas monitoring of laboratory extraction systems is essential (and legally required).

Handling (volatile) chemicals, vapors, and fine dust requires a well-designed extraction system. Extraction arms are a common tool for this purpose: they extract pollutants as close to the source as possible. However, an extraction arm alone is not sufficient. Without extraction monitoring , it cannot be guaranteed that the airflow is actually adequate. Therefore, functional monitoring is legally mandated as part of occupational safety regulations: employers must minimize exposure to hazardous substances and be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of the measures taken.

What is emissions monitoring?

The exhaust gas monitoring system continuously monitors the air velocity or air volume flow of the exhaust arm. If the airflow drops below the set minimum value (e.g., due to a blockage, incorrect valve position, or loss of power), the system issues a clear visual and/or audible warning . This prevents unintentional exposure and allows for immediate intervention.

Key difference: no personal protection

An extraction arm is not personal protective equipment (PPE) . It serves to keep the workplace free of chemical vapors and to expose the source , but not to protect the wearer like a face shield or respirator. Source control has top priority in occupational health measures; PPE remains necessary when the risk or the properties of the substances require it (e.g., during commissioning, spills, or maintenance work).

Common errors and misuses

Despite their simplicity, extraction arms and devices are frequently misused:

• Incorrect purpose: Used for odor elimination instead of controlling hazardous fumes/substances. Odor is subjective; danger can be odorless.

• No (or disabled) monitoring: Alarms are ignored or muted. Without monitoring, you won't notice capacity losses until later.

• Incorrect positioning: Too far from the source; unfavorable angle; process speed too high, resulting in insufficient detection speed.

• Wrong hood/wrong arm for the material: A hood intended for vapors/an arm intended for powders is used or vice versa, resulting in inadequate capture.

• Hoses that are too long/narrow and have too many bends lead to pressure loss and insufficient flow rate.

• Connection to the general ventilation system: The extraction system should be connected to a separate extraction duct with suitable filtration and exhaust air system, not to the comfort ventilation system.

• No maintenance or regular measurement: filters, impellers and valves age; without regular inspection and calibration, the target values shift.

  
  

Legal framework (briefly)

The Dutch Working Conditions Act/Arbobesluit (Dutch Working Conditions Regulation) stipulates that exposure to hazardous substances must be controlled and the effectiveness of ventilation/source extraction must be demonstrated. In practice, this means:

• Functional airflow monitoring (visual and audible alarm) for critical applications;

• Documentation of settings, limits and controls (logbook);

• Regular inspection/testing and (re-)calibration ;

• Training and instruction of users in the correct setup and use.

  
  

Proven procedures for safe use

• Select the appropriate hood/arm for the medium (vapor/aerosol/powder) and the respective process.

• Position yourself close to the sound source (rule of thumb: as close as possible; think in centimeters, not decimeters) and work with smooth, flowing movements.

• Set lower limits and alarms based on the required detection rate and test them in practice.

• Advise users never to ignore alarms and to align their arm correctly.

• Regular maintenance : cleaning, filter change, fan check, duct inspection and annual setpoint check.

  
  

What Satiata does for you

Satiata develops, manufactures, and installs extraction monitoring systems for extraction arms that comply with occupational safety regulations and are tailored to your processes. We supply:

• Design and selection of suitable arm/hood and monitoring hardware;

• Installation, commissioning and calibration with defined lower limits;

• Integration with building management systems (BMS) and signaling technology;

• User training and

  clear standard operating procedures;

• Regular inspection, maintenance and recalibration with reporting for RI&E.

Result: a workplace that remains free of harmful fumes , predictably safe processes, and verifiable compliance with regulations.

Questions or just popping in for a quick look?

Contact Satiata for an assessment of your current conveyor systems and monitoring systems. We will help you quickly and easily implement a safe and demonstrably standards-compliant solution.