Whether you are in the construction, manufacturing, or renovation business, the activities in these businesses generate hazardous dust that can lead to fatal lung diseases and other health problems for the workers and employees in the long run. Not only are there dust compliance norms introduced by governments across the globe, with increasing awareness of health hazards caused by Silica, lead, and other such dust particles, but there are also many on-the-spot fines and penalties introduced for the same. Apart from that, fine dust particles can also affect the quality of production in various industries.
Thus, to ensure that your workspace is compliant and secure, you must have a defined dust collection, cleaning, and dust disposal system in your organization. Although each industry and businesses have different types of dust to deal with, there are certain ways to effectively deal with dust in industrial areas which are mentioned below:
Effective ways to handle Hazardous Dust in the workplace:
Identifying the health risks and activities:
First and foremost an organization must identify the areas and activities that create hazardous dust
and the resources that are associated with and exposed to it. Based on the identified risks, the
organization can create different steps that they have to take to prevent exposure and create a
the secure working environment for the resources.
Introducing stringent protocols and processes:
Right from confinement zones to cleaning between shifts to the use of protective equipment to
contain dust at the source, there are many different ways to confine dust and protect the resources.
Thus, once you have identified the activities and types of dust it creates, you can create elaborate
protocols and processes to protect your workers from this hazardous dust.
Protective equipment:
From coveralls to PPE kits, respiratory P2 respirator masks are available for industries to protect the
resources from fine particles of dust that are airborne due to various activities. Ensure that your
resources have the best equipment and they use them when they are carrying out hazardous
activities.
Industrial Vacuums for dust collection:
Using traditional moping and dusting methods can worsen the situation when there are hazardous dust particles such as Silica and lead to deal with. This happens as when the broom is used the fine dust particles become airborne and thus they put workers at greater risk. Instead, the organization can employ industrial vacuums that are customized as per the industry requirements and facilitated with HEPA filters. Apart from that, industrial vacuums also come with effective and disposable dust collection bags or wet/dry dust collection containers for effective dust storage and disposal.
Get the best and customized cleaning solutions:
To Hire cleaning equipment and correct attachments, you can opt for an obligation-free onsite demo! All you have to do is get on a call with our technical experts on 0426 291 402 or call our toll-free number 1800 438 822. You can also email us at bookings@hireavac.com.au
Require workers to use HEPA masks with N-95 respirators
If your construction site is particularly dusty, you may need to require your workers to use HEPA masks with N-95 respirators. This will help reduce the amount of silica dust in the air and protect your workers from harmful exposure to it. However, using a respirator at work is not as simple as putting it on and forgetting about it.
Therefore, it is important to train your workers on how to use the respirator properly and how often they need to clean it. It is also important to regularly inspect and clean the respirator to ensure that it is working properly. When cleaning a respirator, you should never clean it with water or scrub brushes, as these can damage the mask. Instead, clean the respirator with an industrial vacuum cleaner or disposable cleaning cloth.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many things you can do to handle huge amounts of silica dust at construction sites and protect the health and safety of your workers. You can install an effective dust management system, ensure that there is sufficient ventilation, use Industrial vacuum systems instead of brooms and other conventional tools, and encourage workers to take short breaks and rotate frequently.
You can also require workers to use HEPA masks with N-95 respirators if your site is particularly dusty. Overall, these effective tips will help you handle huge amounts of silica dust at construction sites and reduce the risk to your employees.
