Breathing Air Quality Testing

Compressed air supplying a breathing air mask should be safe to breathe. To check this, breathing air quality testing should be performed at least every 3 months. This is a critical part of your health and safety management regarding workplace air and ensures you meet your legal duty of care.

At Design Air we provide professional air quality testing to verify that it meets the BS EN 12021:2014 standard and that the air you are breathing is safe to do so. Our comprehensive quality testing service helps you remain compliant and ensure the safety of your operators.

Contact us for more information

Why is Breathing Air Quality Testing Necessary?

Key Points You Should be Aware of

Contaminants in Your Air Supply

Breathing air can contain a number of harmful contaminants including oil vapour, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. BS EN 12021 Defines the safe limits of contaminants (air quality) that can be present in your breathing air supply. This contamination can come from several sources, including the compressor itself, the ambient air at the intake, the air receivers, pipework, or even the breathing airline connection points.

Air Treatment

Thankfully, the majority of contaminants present in your breathing air supply can be filtered out or removed through different air dryers or filters. A correctly specified compressed air system, using components like desiccant air dryers and multi-stage filters, is essential for delivering the air quality required. Even locating your air compressor in a cleaner environment can help reduce risk.

Testing Breathing Air

Given the potential dangers, HSE Guidelines (HSG53) advise that you should carry out breathing air quality tests at least every 3 months (or more frequently if your risk assessment dictates this). These test results should be kept for 5 years. This testing is the only way to verify that your filtration and air treatment systems are working correctly and that the air provided at the point of use is safe.

Your Legal Obligations: COSHH and BS EN 12021 Standards

Providing safe breathing air is a legal mandate, not an option. Several regulations and standards place a clear duty on employers:

  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002: These regulations require employers to prevent or control exposure to substances hazardous to health. Contaminants in compressed air fall directly under this, and COSHH is what sets the minimum testing frequency.
  • BS EN 12021:2014: This is the technical standard that defines the purity requirements for compressed breathing air. It specifies the maximum permissible levels for various contaminants to prevent toxic or harmful effects.
  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: This act establishes the overarching duty of care for employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees, which includes providing safe respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

What Does the BS EN 12021 Standard Actually Test For?

When we test your air, we are measuring against the precise limits set by the BS EN 12021 standard. The goal is to ensure all contaminants are kept as low as possible and below the national exposure limit. Key tests include:

  • Carbon Monoxide (CO): A highly toxic gas, limited to ≤ 5 ppm.
  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Limited to ≤ 500 ppm.
  • Oil (Mist & Vapour): Checked to a stringent limit of ≤ 0.5 mg/m³.
  • Water Vapour (H2O): We check the dew point to ensure it is low enough to prevent condensation and freezing within the breathing apparatus. This is critical for preventing the growth of microorganisms.
  • Odour & Taste: The air must be without significant odour or taste, which can indicate an underlying impurity.
  • Oxygen (O2): Must be within the normal range of 21% ± 1%.

How Design Air Can Help?

If you are unsure on what your legal requirements are, or are concerned that your breathing air quality does not meet the BS EN12021 standard, please get in touch with us. We can arrange one of our specialists to visit you and provide some consultation on;

  • If you currently have sufficient filtration and air dryers to meet the BS EN 12021 standard
  • If not, what additional filtration you may require to meet the BS EN 12021 standard and be compliant
  • Prices for carrying out one off breathing air tests to verify your air quality before putting your operator in danger
  • Prices for setting up an annual breathing air testing contract to ensure you are meeting legal requirements and keeping operators safe (4+ tests per year)
  • Carrying out professional, on-site quality testing at the point of use, ensuring the integrity of your entire compressed air system from the compressor to the breathing apparatus.
  • Providing detailed, clear reports and certificates for your records, helping you meet the legal requirement to keep test results for 5 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations state that tests must take place at least every three months. This frequency of such tests may need to be shorter if your own risk assessment identifies a higher risk, or if a mobile compressor is moved to a new location.

RPE, or respiratory equipment, is a type of personal protective equipment designed to protect the wearer from inhaling hazardous substances. Air-fed breathing apparatus is a common type of RPE used in many industries.

Controlling moisture is critical. If the air is too damp (a high dew point), water can condense in the pipework or the RPE itself. This can support the growth of bacteria and mould or, in cold environments, freeze and block the air supply completely.

Breathing contaminated compressed air can lead to immediate and long-term health issues. Two common symptoms include dizziness or headaches caused by high levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or Carbon Monoxide (CO), and respiratory irritation or coughing caused by oil mist or particulates in the air supply.

While there are breathing air quality test kits available, for compliance with BS EN 12021 and COSHH regulations, it is highly recommended to use a professional service. Professional testing ensures calibrated equipment is used to accurately measure oxygen levels, oil content, and dew point, providing a certified report that stands up to legal scrutiny.