What is Construction Dust?
Construction dust is simply a term used to describe the dust that is found on construction sites. Construction dust can be broken down into three main categories: silica dust, non-silica dust and wood dust.
Silica dust (also known as Respirable Crystalline Silica) comes from the silica that is found in many construction materials, such as sand, granite and sandstone. During the cutting, drilling and grinding of these materials, the silica is broken down and released. Non-silica dust is dust that contains either low or no amounts of silica, and can come from materials such as gypsum, cement, limestone and marble. Finally, wood dust is dust that comes from either soft or hardwood, or wood-based products, such as MDF.
Why Do You Need Construction Dust Safety?
So why do you need to have appropriate safety procedures around construction dust? As shown by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the regular inhalation of construction dust can lead to diseases including lung cancer, asthma, COPD and silicosis. Over 500 construction workers are estimated to die from exposure to silica dust per year and over 4000 people die from work-related COPD. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) set Workplace Exposure Limits on the amount of dust that should be inhaled in a day, which is similar to a small pinch of salt. Therefore, it is imperative to take the necessary steps to work around construction dust safely.
A Guide to Construction Dust Safety
Working around construction dust safely can be managed easily by following the HSE’s three-step guide: assessing the risk, controlling the risks and reviewing the controls.
Assessing the Risk
There are four key elements to consider when assessing risk of construction dust. Firstly, using high-energy products (e.g., grit blasters) will generate large amounts of dust in short time spaces. The size and type of work area also influence the risk: smaller areas and enclosed spaces will lead to higher concentrations of construction dust. Finally, time and frequency are influences on risk – the longer a project and the more frequently that an activity occurs will both lead to higher levels of dust in the air.
Controlling the Risk
Prior to starting the work, consider methods to reduce the amount of dust produced. This could be done through techniques such as: using the right sized materials to reduce cutting, using silica-free abrasives, using tools that are less powerful to reduce the amount of dust produced or even using a different method of work entirely.
Despite using these techniques, it is likely that there will still be sources of construction dust on site. There are two main ways of controlling this dust: on-tool extraction and water. On-top extraction uses local ventilation systems that attach to a tool directly. Water is used to dampen down dust clouds, however, it must be used correctly by supplying the right levels of water throughout work.
Additionally, respiratory protective equipment should be used on top of these techniques to provide extra levels of protection. Other controls, such as rotating who does dust-intensive tasks and reducing the amount of people around tasks that produce a lot of dust can help to control and minimise dust levels per person.
Review the Controls
Finally, it is important to check that the controls in place are effective. This can be done by having construction dust procedures in place, monitoring exposure to dust, maintaining the quality of equipment and supervising workers.
How Can Ace Plant Help?
As specialists in dust suppression, Ace Plant offers a large range of dust suppression equipment, for hire and sale, that help you to create a safer work site. We offer Dust Suppression Units in three sizes: 2250L, ideal for construction dust suppression to a width of 5 metres, 7200L, a middle range unit ideal for construction and recycling industries and 9000L, ideal for sites requiring a high water volume application, such as construction or quarrying.
We also have a range of water dispersion vessels. Our rain guns can achieve a throw of up to 70m, and are very useful to dampen down stockpiles and quarry faces or in the demolition industry. For a highly efficient method of dust suppression, our spinning discs can make 9000L of water last up to 90 minutes. We also have road wash systems, ideal for carving mud and other debris from tarmac and concrete, that are mounted at an angle to push debris to the roadside.
To reach hard-to-reach areas, our 1800L Quickspray is an innovative option that atomises water into a fine mist. Finally, our DF7500MPT Dust Fighter is a self-contained and remote controlled option with a throw of up to 40m, ideal for use in the demolition, quarrying and recycling industries.
For more information about our dust suppression equipment and other plant hire and sale services, get in touch, via email at hire@aceplant.co.uk or via telephone at 01908562191.