Dust control in construction is important as it promotes good health among employees and makes carrying out business activities much easier. Lack of proper control measures can make working even more challenging for your employees, undermining productivity. Since dust particles can easily go unnoticed, their effects can easily build up over time. But you can mitigate such risks from happening with appropriate dust control solutions from BossTek. These aim to protect your employees’ breathing zone on a construction site. Before we dive in, let’s define;
What Does Breathing Zone Mean?
The breathing zone is that area right up to your nose and mouth. From this zone, most of the air we breathe in is drawn. When conducting a health inspection on a site or an industry, this is often the area of focus to ensure that employees aren’t being subjected to harmful contaminants. You should safeguard this zone, not because it’s a health requirement but because dust and other pollutants can cause serious health issues. On a construction site, using a dust collection system is one of the many solutions you can use to protect the zone. However, several factors must be considered before a system can be chosen, such as the nature of the site activities and the size of dust particles being released. Some dust suppression solutions for protecting the breathing zone include;
A Dust collector
A dust collector unit is equipment designed to collect, filter, and purify the air before releasing it back into the environment. This equipment is of two types; single-stage and two-stage. With a single-stage collector, dust is sucked up by the fan and deposited in the lower bag, and the upper bag gathers fine sawdust while allowing exhaust air to re-enter the shop. On the other hand, a two-stage collector first draws air into a separator where large particles and chips are collected in a bag, preventing them from reaching the filter. This is meant to protect the filter keeping it cleaner and in good working condition. Cyclones are the standard two-stage systems with a funnel-shaped drum as a separator.
Use of an at-source capture system
Since dust can easily circulate into the environment covering a large area, it necessitates using large or multiple systems for maximum dust control. But you can reduce the need for various systems by capturing dust from the source, reducing the likelihood of dust particles circulating into the environment and posing a threat to employees’ health. For maximum results, the system should be as near to the source as possible, and there should be no barriers obstructing the collection. These systems can be mobile and fixed, which can offer more convenience.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
In some industries, such as construction sites, employees are often in direct contact with dust or other materials, hence requiring them to wear protective gear. This gear can range from protective gloves, goggles with side shields, dust-filtration masks, and a full protective suit. Employees are also expected by law to provide employees with PPE that fits their job industry.
Implementing the appropriate measure early enough is crucial in protecting your employees’ breathing zone and avoiding dust-induced hazards. Regardless of the measures you choose, make sure they are specific to your industry.
