Safety Considerations For Industrial Draught Fan Operations
                     SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR 
INDUSTRIAL DRAUGHT FAN 
OPERATIONS
Neel Rao
Writes on Reitzindia massive industrial fans, 
Induced draft fan  or ID fans and FD fans  from Reitz 
india.
Industrial draught fans are among the most important elements of many factories 
and plants. It is due to the presence of these fans that many processes get 
completed smoothly in these facilities. At the same time, safety is a highly pivotal 
consideration when speaking of operating draft fans. There are several moving parts 
housed in any industrial fan. Any negligence can gravely jeopardize the well-being of 
several employees.
It could sometimes also lead to life-threatening situations for the people working in 
the plant/factory so the safety aspect has to be given the required attention.
•Firstly, the blades of the impeller that are rotating are denoted as being the most 
hazardous elements of draught fans. Even a slight contact with the blades can 
seriously imperil the very life of the particular individual. Therefore, suitable guards 
for impeller as well as for shaft must be fixed for these blowers; they markedly 
reduce the risk of such mishaps.
•On some occasions, even when the draught fan is not turned on, the blades can start 
rotating due to just a slight wind. And, this small movement can pose a big risk for the 
people around, too. Hence, before beginning any maintenance work, a key precaution 
should be taken. It must be ensured that the blades and other moving parts of the fan 
remain stationary until completion of the job.
• The schedule of maintenance specified by the fan manufacturer has to be carefully 
followed. In this respect, even a minor deviation can lead to potentially risky situations for 
people working in the plant/factory. This point ranks among the most salient guidelines 
applicable to all facilities having draft fans.
•When the draught fans are switched off, it is always better to wait for some time before 
stepping inside. This is not without a valid reason. As these blowers continuously handle 
hot flue gasses, they take a little time to get cooled even after they are turned off. Any 
attempt to handle the fans before that is not advisable for safety reasons.
•It must be made sure that things like small metal pieces, tools, and debris are not 
there near the blowers. Otherwise, they could either get sucked in or be blown 
towards people in proximity at high speed. Both these possibilities are dangerous.
•An exhaustive risk assessment has to be carried out under the supervision of 
experts. These experts thoroughly examine all the blower components like belts, 
blades, and shafts. Thereafter, appropriate measures to reduce the operational risks 
of draught fans are listed by the experts.
•Many models of these fans are now available on the market. So, it’s preferable to 
choose those variants where the operator is not required to frequently handle the 
blades and other internal elements. Reduced exposure automatically brings about a 
decline in the corresponding risks.
•While checking draft fans for any possible defects, it’s always safe to depend on the 
correct personal protection equipment. Here, the employee/operator must not 
discount the significance of protective gear like gloves and safety goggles.
•Whenever maintenance/inspection work is being done for fans, it should be made 
certain that there is sufficient ventilation within the premises. With this, the 
employees are safeguarded against excessive exposure to noxious gases and other 
contaminants.
Apart from what has been mentioned above, there are many more safety 
considerations. All those could not be included here due to a paucity of space.
About REITZINDIA
Reitz India has set a benchmark to deliver high quality fans for heavy duty industries 
which can work at precise operating conditions like high temperatures and 
pressures. Reitz offer idealistic Centrifugal Fan and Centrifugal blower design that 
can be used in all large scale process industries like cement, iron & steel, power 
plants, fertilizers/ chemicals and more.
Thank you for spending your precious time in reading this article!