Over the years, modern diesel engines have become cleaner. Or in other words: they have become less pollutable and emit less hazardous fumes. Diesel engines even emit less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines and many diesel engine manufacturers claim that most of the harm of diesel exhaust has been reduced.

Earlier this year Bosch¹ claimed an unprecedented reduction of NOx emissions with new technologies, stating that “internal combustion engines equipped with artificial intelligence have almost zero impact on air quality”.

From an environmental point of view, breakthroughs such as these sound promising. Reducing harmful exhaust gases and particulate matter is always a good idea. However, it is still good practice to remember that diesel exhaust is not – and never will be – completely clean and harmless. Specific occupations, such as fire personnel, mechanics, operators and others, face a greater risk of health problems due to prolonged diesel engine exhaust exposure.

The Need for Exhaust Extraction Systems
Because of these new technologies in diesel engines and exhaust filter systems, and probably because of the claims car manufacturers make, many people might think that the use of exhaust extraction systems is no longer necessary. This is a dangerous development. Although levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions are significantly lower than those of engines without diesel particulate filters (DPF), there are other substances that pose a risk.

A study published in Particle and Fibre Toxicology² shows that there is still a great concern about the emissions of ultrafine combustion generated particles smaller than 10nm with insignificant mass. These nanoparticles are not easily measured at the exhausts and in the atmosphere. Furthermore, their biological activity is uncertain, but that does not mean that we can overlook them.

Once inhaled, nanoparticles can settle in the airways. Particles smaller than 100nm reach the bloodstream and can be found in organs other than the lungs. In addition to the adverse effects in the respiratory and cardiovascular system, they potentially affect other organs. Imagine the health effect of even smaller sub 10nm nanoparticles. It might be more severe than what may be expected from their very low mass concentrations. 

A recent study³ on the efficiency of particle filters,  concludes that sub-10 nm particles are not sufficiently removed by particle filters.

How Long Do Filters Work?
Even if you ignore the issues with sub 10nm particles and truly believe the car manufacturers’ claims that new diesel engines with particle filters are extremely clean, bear in mind that filters are only tested on new cars in a controlled environment. In recent news, Volvo issued a press statement⁴ after they detected that “an emissions control component used in certain markets is degrading more quickly than expected”. This problem concerns buses and trucks, mainly sold in North America and Europe. The affected engines met emissions limits for nitrogen oxides at the time of delivery, but may currently exceed these limits. At the time of writing a full analysis of the issue had not yet been completed, but it is clear that it is not sufficient to rely on particle filters alone.

Conclusion
It is too early to say for diesel engine manufacturers that new combustion and exhaust technologies have reduced most of the harm of diesel exhaust. While it may be true for carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions, smaller and potentially dangerous particles are not filtered which means that working on vehicles with running diesel engines in a closed environment still involves a great health risk.

For a safe and healthy working environment, it is strongly recommended to not only rely on car manufacturers&rsqu

Two people died in a house fire that happened north of Olympia Thursday afternoon. According to South Bay Fire Chief Brent McBride, fire units from South Bay, Lacey Fire Dist. 3, Olympia Fire and McLane-Black Lake Fire were dispatched to the 4300 Block of Lemon Road about 1:30 p.m. The two-story house and garage were completely destroyed.
- PUB DATE: 2/8/2019 8:49:04 AM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13

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LEXINGTON, KY—With more LEDs than any Big Ass Light before and a module that directs light where it’s needed, the LED Bay Light will transform the way you see your space. Productivity and visual appeal a concern?

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Every volunteer fire department becomes a second family for its members, and Chief Andy Webster will tell you that the Cool Springs (NC) Volunteer Fire Department, just outside Statesville.

If anyone should know, it’s Webster. Back in 1960, his father was a charter member of the department. Eight years later, Webster came along, and before he mastered a tricycle he was hanging out at the station. Over time he learned the building’s hiding places and learned the trick to opening the front door when it was locked. “I like to tell people it’s where I first saw Santa Claus,” he says—the man in red never missed a Christmas party at the firehouse.

When Webster turned 16, he officially joined the department. That was 34 years ago, years punctuated by tragedy but also filled with good times. So when the time came to think about building a new station with all-new bells and whistles, it was bittersweet. But, the chief and his fellow firefighters were not about to let nostalgia get in the way of progress, especially when the community’s safety was at stake.

In 2013, they set about planning for a new firehouse, and one thing they decided it needed were some Big Ass Fans. Webster had seen his first Big Ass Fan years before in Florida, at a factory that builds fire trucks. He’d walked inside to do a final inspection of a new tanker truck and was surprised at how cool the building felt despite the Florida heat. Looking up at the biggest fan he’d ever seen, he naturally said, “That’s a big-ass fan you got there,” little knowing how true that was. Back home, he saw more Big Ass Fans at a nearby factory and was convinced they were exactly what the department needed.

In 2017, Webster turned out the lights and closed the door for the last time at the old station, and the Cool Springs Volunteer Fire Department moved into its new 24,000-square-foot facility just across the road. The local newspaper ran a story, quoting Webster saying, “It’s a great day, the day we open our new firehouse. Some may say ‘station,’ but it’s a firehouse. It’s where people live, and where the community comes together.”

The building also houses Iredell County’s EMS Services and a satellite office of the county’s Sheriff’s Department. And, inside are three Big Ass Fans: two over the apparatus bay and one in the EMS department. Webster says everyone is “tickled pink” with the fans. “We get in the triple digits here in summer, and the humidity is miserable. With the fans, you don’t feel near as hot. You can be anywhere in the apparatus bay and feel the breeze,” he says. For all the memories he has from the old firehouse—of Christmas parties with Santa, annual Ham Dinners with his mother’s homemade biscuits, and just hanging out with his second family—he’ll tell you it was never as comfortable as the department’s beautiful new home.

As for that old firehouse across the road, well, it’s now a John Deere dealership. And, who knows? There might just be some Big Ass Fans in its future too. The building’s former residents would vouch for them.

Courtesy of Big Ass Fans