Massey Ferguson chemical and pesticide protection
Agricultural tractors and machinery work in hazardous environments subjecting the operators to a variety of hazards from life threatening dusts to poisonous chemicals and pesticides.
Tractors back in the 1970’s had very basic cabs and most only had roll over bars for protection, I personally can’t remember any that had ventilation fans, cab filtration or air conditioning systems, later on in the 1980’s tractors were now being manufactured with safety cabs fitted with heating and ventilation systems and air filters integrated into air conditioning systems for operator comfort.
Modern day tractors are now fitted with much safer cabs and refinements to make the operators job more productive,efficient and comfortable but more importantly safer for the operator, however the level of operator protection against hazardous dusts, aerosols, poisonous chemicals and pesticides still falls way below the protection levels that are needed for adequate protection.
European union regulation EN 15695-1/2 goes some way to addressing the problems by stipulating that dusts, aerosols and gaseous contaminants that arise during the use of toxic substances and liquid fertilizers are not permitted to enter the vehicle cabins, EN15695-1/2 basic levels of cab protection are defined in categories from 1 to 4.
Category 1. No defined level of protection against hazardous substances.
Category 2. Protection against dust.
Category 3. Protection against dust and aerosols.
Category 4. Protection against dusts,aerosols and vapours.
Current standards under EN 15695-1/2 for Category 4 cabs is that the cabs internal pressure should be no less than 20 Pascals during operation and capable of achieving 50 Pascals as a maximum whilst providing protection efficiency greater than 98%.
Arctic Air AA3 hazardous air cab filtration overpressure safety system.
The Massey ferguson 5610 opposite has been installed with an Arctic Air AA3 cab filtration overpressure safety system which surpasses EN15695-1/2 category 4 regulations with higher quality filters and higher internal cab pressures.
The low profile system contains a G4 Pre filter manufactured to EN 779 specifications which serves primarily as a pre filter and also protects the HEPA filter and carbon filter fitted below it.
A carbon filter containing 15kgs of four different types of granulated activated carbon to EN14387 is specially formulated to protect the operator against pesticides.
The cab has been sufficiently sealed allowing the system to pressurise it to a maximum of 293 Pascals which regulates at a working pressure of 120 Pascals protecting the operator against chemicals and pesticides during orchard blast spraying, far exceeding European regulations.
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