Safe air quality has been on all our minds this past year and a half. When it comes to site safety, being proactive in suppressing harmful dust particles is not only the law in certain states, it’s also a great way to keep you, your employees, and your neighbors safe. Here are the top five reasons why you should control dust with the InterQuip line of dust suppression misters:
- Stop Fugitive Dust
- Fugitive dust is an environmental air quality term for very small particles suspended in the air, primarily mineral dust that is sourced from the soil of Earth’s pedosphere. Fugitive dust results from dry conditions where there is insufficient moisture content in the ground to maintain adhesion and hold the soil together. Particulate matter (PM) then enters the atmosphere through the action of wind, vehicular movement, or other activities. The inhalation of PM by people introduces it into the lungs where it can cause respiratory illnesses, permanent lung damage, and in some individuals premature death. [1]
- A lawsuit in 2011 filed by 150 Waimea, Hawaii residents alleges that their homes were subjected, “on almost a daily basis”, to blown “pesticide-laden fugitive dust”. The residents claimed their homes sustained physical damage and they were forced to live with their windows closed year-round. They were seeking monetary damages from DuPont Pioneer to compensate for the reduced value of their homes and suggested future lawsuits would address health issues. [2]
- Introducing a mister that can trap and suppress fugitive dust can not only help protect your neighbors, but also avoid expensive lawsuits as well.
- Aging Infrastructure = Major Opportunity with a Caveat
- A report from Construction Management Association of America highlighted that “aging infrastructure in nearly every market segment is at or beyond its current useful life… [which] represents trillions of dollars in necessary spending over the next 10 to 20 years to upgrade and replace these assets.” [3]
- With renovations needed on buildings containing asbestos or other harmful particulates, incorporating a dust control mister can allow your firm to bid on these jobs and keep your workers safe in the process.
- Avoid Health Risks
- Anyone who breathes in these dusts should know the damage they can do to the lungs and airways. The main dust-related diseases affecting construction workers are:
- lung cancer;
- silicosis;
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
- Some lung disease, like advanced silicosis or asthma, can come on quite quickly.
- However, most of these diseases take a long time to develop. Dust can build up in the lungs and harm them gradually over time. The effects are often not immediately obvious. Unfortunately, by the time it is noticed the total damage done may already be serious and life changing. It may mean permanent disability and early death. [4]
- It’s the Law
- While laws regarding dust control vary from state to state, in places like the UK, there are laws to cover activities which may expose workers to construction dust. Regardless of the legal requirements in your area, the best practices [4] for controlling dust are:
- 1) Assess the risks: Assess the risks linked to the work and materials. High dust levels are caused by one or more of the following:
- task – the more energy the work involves, the bigger the risk. High-energy tools like cut-off saws, grinders and grit blasters produce a lot of dust in a very short time;
- work area – the more enclosed a space, the more the dust will build up. However, do not assume that dust levels will be low when working outside with high-energy tools;
- time – the longer the work takes the more dust there will be;
- frequency – regularly doing the same work day after day increases the risks.
- 2) Control the risks: Use the following measures to control the risk:
- Stop or reduce the dust: Before work starts, look at ways of stopping or reducing the amount of dust you might make. Use different materials, less powerful tools or other work methods. For example, you could use:
- the right size of building materials so less cutting or preparation is needed;
- silica-free abrasives to reduce the risks when blasting;
- a less powerful tool – eg a block splitter instead of a cut-off saw;
- a different method of work altogether – eg a direct fastening system.
- Control the dust: Even if you stop some dust this way, you may do other work that could still produce high dust levels. In these cases the most important action is to stop the dust getting into the air. There are two main ways of doing this:
- Water – water damps down dust clouds. However, it needs to be used correctly. This means enough water supplied at the right levels for the whole time that the work is being done. Just wetting the material beforehand does not work.
- On-tool extraction – removes dust as it is being produced. It is a type of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system that fits directly onto the tool. This ‘system’ consists of several individual parts – the tool, capturing hood, extraction unit and tubing. Use an extraction unit to the correct specification (ie H (High) M (Medium) or L (Low) Class filter unit). Don’t just use a general commercial vacuum.
- 3) Review the Controls: You may already have the right controls in place, but are they all working properly? Check the controls work by:
- having procedures to ensure that work is done in the right way;
- checking controls are effective. Does the work still seem dusty? You might need to carry out dust exposure monitoring;
- involving workers. They can help identify problems and find solutions;
- maintaining equipment:
- follow instructions in maintenance manuals;
- regularly look for signs of damage. Make repairs;
- replace disposable masks in line with manufacturer’s recommendations;
- properly clean, store, and maintain no disposable RPE. Change RPE filters as recommended by the supplier;
- carry out a thorough examination and test of any on-tool extraction system at least every 14 months.
- supervising workers. Make sure they:
- use the controls provided;
- follow the correct work method;
- attend any health surveillance where it is needed.
- Stop or reduce the dust: Before work starts, look at ways of stopping or reducing the amount of dust you might make. Use different materials, less powerful tools or other work methods. For example, you could use:
- 1) Assess the risks: Assess the risks linked to the work and materials. High dust levels are caused by one or more of the following:
- Eco-Friendly, in More Ways than One!
- The InterQuip Line of Misters, The MultiMister, The Jetmister, and The Cannonmister, were especially designed to be as water and fuel efficient as possible. They have been designed to minimize water usage and operate on a low power draw.
References
- “Fugitive Dust Prevention Tips”. azdeq.gov. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- Van Voorhis, Vanessa (December 13, 2011). “Home News Local Waimea residents sue Pioneer”. The Garden Island. Archived from the originalon April 11, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- D’Agostino, B., Mikulis, M., & Bridgers, M. (2007): FMI & CMAA Eighth Annual Survey of Owners; Raleigh, NC: FMI.
- org. 2021. eLCOSH : Construction Dust. https://www.elcosh.org/document/3689/d001228/Construction+Dust.html