BS EN ISO 21904-1-2020 (2021) PDF

Full title and description

STB BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020 — Health and safety in welding and allied processes — Equipment for capture and separation of welding fume — Part 1: General requirements. This document specifies general safety, design and marking requirements for equipment used to capture and separate welding fume (local exhaust ventilation, hoods, ducting, filter units, air movers and related systems) to reduce worker exposure to airborne welding products.

Abstract

ISO 21904-1:2020 establishes the general requirements for ventilation and separation equipment intended to capture welding and allied-process fumes at source. It defines essential safety considerations, lists significant hazards, sets expectations for design and manufacture (including hoods, ducting and filter/separation units), and specifies the minimum test data to be recorded or marked on capture devices. The document is applicable to mobile and stationary local exhaust ventilation systems and separation equipment manufactured after publication; it explicitly excludes general building ventilation, air conditioning systems and grinding dust. Electrical, mechanical and pneumatic hazards are listed but not covered in detail by this part.

General information

• Status: Published (international standard; adopted nationally in various forms including BS EN ISO adoption).
• Publication date: ISO publication: 21 February 2020. National adoption as BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020 published 6 February 2021.
• Publisher: Internationally published by ISO; national adoption published by national bodies (e.g., BSI for the BS EN ISO edition).
• ICS / categories: 13.100 (Occupational safety) / 25.160.01 (Welding, brazing and soldering).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2020) — implemented as BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020 where adopted nationally.
• Number of pages: ISO edition: 25 pages (national adoptions may include additional national foreword/annexes; adopted BS edition typically longer due to national material).

Scope

This standard applies to the design and manufacture of equipment intended to capture and separate fumes generated by welding and allied processes (for example arc welding and thermal cutting). It covers local exhaust ventilation systems (excluding draught tables), mobile and stationary capture equipment and separation/filter units used for welding fume control. The standard specifies general requirements and the test data that shall be marked on the capture devices. It does not apply to general building ventilation, air make-up systems, air conditioning or grinding dust, and does not attempt to address detailed electrical, mechanical or pneumatic hazard controls (these are listed but not fully covered in this part).

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and terminology for capture and separation equipment used in welding and allied processes.
• General safety and design requirements for hoods, ducting, filter units and air movers to ensure effective capture of welding fumes.
• Requirements for marking and documentation — required test data and performance information to be provided with equipment.
• Applicability to mobile and stationary local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems; exclusion of general ventilation systems.
• Identification of significant hazards associated with fume-capture equipment (e.g., exposure, maintenance, filter handling) and related precautions; note that electrical, mechanical and pneumatic hazards are identified but not exhaustively treated in this part.
• Requirements that equipment be designed and manufactured so as to permit safe operation, maintenance and replacement of consumables (filters, cartridges) without creating unnecessary exposure risks.
• Interface with testing and performance verification — cross-reference to Part 2 (testing and marking of separation efficiency).

Typical use and users

Primary users include manufacturers and designers of fume-capture and filtration equipment, occupational hygiene and safety professionals, welding shop managers, facilities and maintenance teams, procurement specialists specifying extraction systems, testing laboratories and conformity assessment bodies, and regulators/policy makers involved in workplace air-quality controls. The standard is used to inform design decisions, product specifications, procurement contracts and safe-use/maintenance instructions.

Related standards

ISO 21904-2:2020 — Part 2: Requirements for testing and marking of separation efficiency (test methods and performance marking). ISO 17916 (safety requirements for thermal cutting machines) is referenced for thermal cutting-specific hazards. Earlier standards in this domain (for example elements of ISO 15012 series) have been superseded or withdrawn and replaced by the ISO 21904 series. National adoptions appear as EN/BS adoptions (e.g., BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020).

Keywords

welding fume, fume extraction, fume capture, separation efficiency, local exhaust ventilation (LEV), filter units, welding safety, occupational hygiene, welding fume filtration, extraction hoods, welding emissions, equipment marking

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21904-1:2020 (adopted as BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020 where applicable) is an international standard that sets out general requirements for equipment used to capture and separate welding fumes to protect worker health and reduce airborne contaminants at source.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers general design, safety and marking requirements for capture and separation equipment (hoods, ducting, filter and separation units, air movers) used in welding and allied processes. It lists significant hazards and specifies which systems are in scope (mobile and stationary LEV and separation equipment) and which are excluded (general ventilation, air conditioning, grinding dust).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Equipment manufacturers and designers, occupational safety and hygiene professionals, welding supervisors and maintenance staff, testing laboratories, procurement teams specifying extraction systems, conformity assessment bodies and regulators.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document was published by ISO on 21 February 2020 and adopted nationally in various jurisdictions (for example published as BS EN ISO 21904-1:2020 on 6 February 2021). It is an active standard; ISO standards are subject to periodic review (typically every five years). As of 22 February 2026 there was no published superseding edition for Part 1; national adoptions and any revision status should be checked with the relevant national standards body for the absolute latest position.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 21904 is a multi-part series addressing health and safety in welding and allied processes for capture and separation of welding fume. Part 2 (ISO 21904-2:2020) covers requirements for testing and marking of separation efficiency; other parts or revisions may be under development or review.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Welding fume, fume extraction, local exhaust ventilation (LEV), filter unit, separation efficiency, capture hood, occupational hygiene, welding safety.