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How can I protect myself against plant protection products?
How can I protect myself against plant protection products?
Tips and advice

How can I protect myself against plant protection products?

31.01.2024

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In conventional farming, plant protection products are frequently used. Spraying these chemicals produces aerosols and vapours. In the event of prolonged exposure, these emissions represent a major health risk for farm workers. Workers in the cabs of tractors or self-propelled sprayers remain vulnerable if they are not adequately protected against these toxic inhalations. To limit their contact with plant protection products, European standards 15695-1 and 15695-2 have been created.

Category 4 cabins

Standard 15695-1 classifies tractor cabs into four categories. Each category meets specific requirements designed to block out certain pollutants (see table). Only a Category 4 cab can protect a farmer from the aerosols and vapours of plant protection products. What are its features? The cab is airtight, pressurised to at least 20 Pa above outside atmospheric pressure, and must contain a pressure indicator. Thanks to an impeccable seal and appropriate pressurisation, the air is renewed solely via the cab ventilation system (minimum flow rate of 30m³/hour) (*). This directs toxic pollutants to a filtration unit that complies with standard EN 15695-2.
(*) To ensure that your cab is compliant, it must have a plate showing the serial number, the type of mechanical protection and the watertightness category.
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Precise requirements to protect your health

In accordance with standard 15695-2, only Category 4 filters combine protection against aerosols and vapours formed by plant protection products. To be classified in Category 4, filters must undergo a series of tests. These tests cover the efficiency and service life of the filter elements. What's the aim of this? To ensure that filters perform well, and so protect farmers from the harmful effects of treatment products. At HIFI FILTER®, our new range of PAV4 cabin filters, a bulwark against plant protection products and Category 4 certified, meets the requirements of standard 15695-2 and goes even further!
“Only the combination of a Category 4 certified cab and filter protects against the harmful effects of aerosols and vapours from plant protection products.“

Quality department - HIFI FILTER®

PAV4, the real shield against plant protection products

Our range of PAV cabin filters is manufactured in our HIFI FACTORY locations. Every day, we ensure strict control of their specific design and exemplary compliance with standard 15695.
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Structure of a PAV4

All our PAV4 cabin filters have 4 stages of filtration.
  • A pre-filter: this retains large particles, mainly dust. This pre-filtration prevents next 2 media layers from clogging up too quickly.
  • High-efficiency HEPA absolute media: this HEPA filter blocks aerosols, i.e. suspended micro-droplets from plant protection products.
  • An activated carbon cell: a porous adsorbent material, it attracts toxic vapours and gases, then captures them in its pores. Thanks to their design, the activated carbon cells used in PAV4 filters offer high adsorption capacity while avoiding pressure drops. Want to find out more about activated carbon? Click here to find out more.
  • A post-filter: responsible for retaining the fine dust produced by the activated carbon.

This structure, developed by HIFI FILTER®, is present on all our references. Each is Category 4 certified and has an efficiency of over 99.99%. In other words, our cabin filters retain 6 times the quantity of aerosols required by regulations. Thanks to this ultra-efficient protection against toxic fumes, the health of farm workers is better protected.

What's inside the box of a PAV4?

  • A vacuum-packed filter marked "CE" with the words "Category 4 cabin filter, in accordance with standard 15695-1".
  • Instructions for use and information

The HIFI FILTER® "plus" points:
  • A maintenance label
  • A recycling bag
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An informed farmer = a protected farmer

In order to limit any risky practices with regard to plant protection products, we want to ensure that users are properly informed about the filter and its uses. Most of this information can be found on the filter itself and in the instructions. For maintenance, here are a few important additional points:

Duration of use

The service life of a PAV4 filter can vary greatly depending on the conditions in which it is used. In general, it lasts 100 hours. After this time, the activated carbon in the filter will become saturated. If saturation occurs, the pores will no longer adsorb toxic particles. Instead, they could release previously captured pollutants into the cabin, creating a risk of exposure. It is therefore essential to change your filters at a frequency appropriate to the conditions of use. In any case, as soon as a suspicious odour appears, it is imperative to change the cabin filter.
⚠️Never blow out an activated carbon filter to extend its life! Compressed air alters the structure of the activated carbon. This would alter the adsorption capacity of the porous material. Do not wash it with water and/or solvents either.
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Wearing PPE

When installing and replacing a PAV4 filter, it is essential to protect yourself with disposable nitrile gloves. The use of protective goggles and a mask is also strongly recommended. After maintenance, gloves and other objects soiled by plant protection products must be disposed of and never stored in the cabin.
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Storage conditions

After each application, remove the cabin filter and store it in an airtight container (supplied in the HIFI FILTER® pack). This method of storage prevents the activated carbon from coming into contact with the ambient air and capturing the pollutants present. Enclosed, it retains its adsorption capacity and optimum lifespan. The storage area must also be kept at a constant temperature and protected from humidity.
For more information, please contact our teams.
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