ONE LIFE. PROTECT IT.
Where it’s not possible or reasonably practical to completely prevent exposure to hazardous dust in your workplace, implementing control methods during dusty processes can help reduce your exposure to dust in the workplace. This short guide will look at effective control methods as well as the Hierarchy of Controls, with 5 effective ways to control dust in your workplace.
Segregating processes
By segregating processes which produce large volumes of dust, you can control the amount of dust your workers are exposed to. In some cases, it may even be possible to make the process entirely automated, meaning no workers are exposed to dust. Introducing a remote operation, e.g. a separate room or section within a facility meaning workers completing the dusty process never directly come into contact with the excess dust created. This process means that if workers have to complete a task which is likely to create excess hazardous dust, they spend as little, or if possible, no time exposed to the dust.
Extraction and LEV
In cases where segregation isn’t possible, extraction is an option to control excess dust. Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems can be built into machines or processes which create excess dust. LEV and extraction systems collect contaminants like dust and filter out the contaminants before they’re released into the air. This process can be used for multiple processes within the workplace such as storage bins, grinding mills, conveyors, mixing machines and many more, ensuring that when excess dust is created it does not come into direct contact with workers during these processes.
Substitution of materials
Using less-hazardous materials, where applicable, is another suitable method for controlling dust exposure in your workplace. For example, using natural stone as opposed to engineered stone in worktop manufacturing or using pellets rather than powders can allow workers to produce a similar end product during workplace processes whilst minimising risk of dust exposure. By substituting out materials for less hazardous alternatives, workers can continue their processes throughout the day, at less, or almost no risk to their respiratory health.
Avoiding dry methods
Avoiding dry methods across the workplace such as dry sweeping, drilling or cutting, not only reduces dust generation, but also make maintenance across the workplace more effective. Dry methods of cutting create high levels of fine airborne dust, whilst dry sweeping when cleaning spreads further settled dust also making it airborne. Alternatively, the use of wet methods helps reduce the amount of dry and airborne dust generated during workplace activities. For example, damping down materials which create high levels of dust such as stone and concrete, and later using water suppression processes for cleaning, ensures airborne dust is limited due to the particles binding together when wet.
Maintaining cleanliness
Excess dust is a consist problem in workplaces where highly dusty processes occur, especially if it is not possible to completely eliminate the risk of dust. By maintaining cleanliness, encouraging workers to work with care and instructing them how to control the dust produced in their work processes by following the methods mentioned, control of dust can become a regular process in the workplace.