Handling the Growing Health Concerns in the Construction Industry

Silica dust - an airborne and inhalable mineral produced through the disruption of crystalline silica.

 

Frequent exposure to this dust occurs in construction workers as not only is it a commonly used material, but the actions performed on them such as cutting, grinding, and drilling in these environments are the primary cause of its prevalence in the industry.

 

The problem lies within the inhalation of silica dust. This airborne particle is not trapped by the body’s defence systems, be it nose hairs or mucus, leading it to get directly lodged within your lungs; detrimental to your respiratory system and health.

 

Unfortunately, millions of construction workers are exposed to the dangers of prolonged silica dust inhalation every year, which is precisely why modern regulations surrounding exposure of workers to its detrimental effects are being enforced by health and safety administrations, such as the OSHA.

 

 

What Actions Are Being Taken?

 

Modern rulings for the construction industry plan to lower the acceptable threshold that workers can be exposed to surrounding silica dust. Employers are held accountable and responsible for integrating holistic engineering solutions to limit the workers’ exposure, some examples of effectively implemented solutions are through the use of concrete dust filters and water-delivery systems.

 

Further standards surrounding respirable crystalline silica for the construction industry can be found on the official OSHA website.

 

 

How Filtering Systems Work

 

Construction workers now have the capacity to employ solutions which are centred on preventing the release and inhalation of silica dust closer to its origin by implementing concrete dust filters. One of the options primarily being employed by the industry is attaching these filters onto extraction vacuums that can fit around hammer drill, and chipping bits; ensuring prevention at the source.

 

 

Other Measures

 

A typical accompaniment to concrete dust filters is what is known as a dust extraction bit, allowing for the reduction of dust in tools such as drill bits and are known to reduce the production of dust by up to 90% compared to not using the dust extraction bit system; helping deliver dust reduction for more lightweight tools.

 

On a final note, health and safety administrations are urging businesses that operate in the construction industry to not only take these measures into account during their main work, but also to employ these standards when seemingly rudimentary work such as tool maintenance, and servicing are being performed in order to wane health related issues from silica dust.

 

 

Keeping Your Dust Filters Effective

 

Your capacity to extract dust is contingent on the quality of the concrete dust filter you are equipped with. Any corners cut in the quality of these is another opportunity for hazardous silica dust particulates to remain airborne.

 

Our dedication to quality, at Dynamic Filtration, for the construction of our filter elements, and polyester micron for all of our concrete dust filters allow you to work with a peace-of-mind to focus on the tasks at hand; with less maintenance times, consistently product quality, and the comfort of a healthier work environment.  

 

A member of our professional team is always available to help deal with your filtering queries. Feel free to get in touch with us!