air quality tests

ISO 8573 is an internationally recognised standard that defines major contaminants in compressed air and presents a comprehensive system for air purity designations. The implementation of this standard supports accurate testing of the major contaminants in compressed air – particles, water, oil, and microorganisms. ISO 8573 is used widely throughout the compressed air industry, acting as a common language available to the manufacturer, compressed air system supplier, and compressed air testing laboratory.

For applications where the quality of compressed air is critical, 360° Air can measure to the limits of ISO8573 standards.

If the compressed air system has not been designed for your specific requirements, it has the potential to cause major problems to product quality and operating expenses. We look after many of the UK’s leading food, beverage and pharmaceutical companies and can assist in this matter.

Our trained engineers can visit your site with our calibrated ISO 8573 air quality testing equipment*. We can conduct periodic compressed air purity testing at point of use with certified results that can be measured against ISO: 8573-1 standards, testing for particle content, dew point and oil vapour concentration.

At 360° Air, we also offer advice about your current compressed air systems and provide quality solutions to ensure you achieve the air quality your business requires.

ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 0 Compressed Air:

• Does not mean zero contamination
• Has purity levels jointly defined in writing by users and/or equipment manufacturers or suppliers
• Does not account for purity levels greater than those measurable by methods defined by ISO 8573-2 to 8573-9 standards

* There is no air quality testing equipment available to test oil measurement onsite. However, it is a great tool for quality testing, as vapour is always present alongside liquid and aerosol oil but can still be present when the liquid and aerosol contents are filtered out. Using a PID sensor can provide accurate and repeatable measurement of vapour in high purity systems, to guide maintenance and provide client confidence in the effectiveness of the air treatment system.

Breathing Air Testing

All employers have a duty of care to their employees to ensure that the breathing air they are supplied with is adequate for the respiratory protective equipment (RPE) they are using and safe to breathe, whether this is supplied via a fresh hose or a source of compressed air.

Compressed gas for breathing should not contain contaminants at a concentration which cause harmful effects. In any event, all contaminants shall be kept to as a low a level as possible and shall be less than 1/10 of a national 8-hour exposure limit.

Periodically testing air quality makes sure that the control measures you have put in place are delivering the air quality required by BS EN 12021. The frequency of such tests should be the result of a risk assessment and take place at least every three months if not sooner. 360° Air can perform regular air quality checks to help keep your facility safe and compliant to current regulations and advised standards. 

Records of completed breathing air checks must be retained in either physical or electronic form for a minimum of 5 years. 360° Air can perform regular air quality checks to help keep your facility safe and compliant to current regulations and advised standards.

Whether needed for legal compliance, proactive problem identification, or filtration efficiency analysis, as an independent and competent body, 360° Air is perfectly suited to conduct air quality testing. Using current and frequently re-calibrated monitoring and sampling technology, we are able to test for numerous factors that may be impacting your air quality, including pressure, moisture, CO2 levels, odour, and microbiological contamination.