A Professional’s Guide to Managing Dust in the Workplace

Dust may seem harmless, but dust hazards in the workplace can lead to serious health and safety risks for employees. Inhalation of dust particles can cause respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis and even lung cancer. Additionally, certain types of dust, such as combustible dust, can create a fire and explosion hazard if not properly managed. Dust is of course inevitable in certain workplace environments, but putting measures in place for preventing dust accumulation can help reduce the long-term negative effects it can have on employees and ultimately your business. 

What is dust and why is it a problem?

Dust in the workplace can be incredibly harmful, especially if it’s left unchecked. Some workplace environments produce more dust than others depending on the processes and materials used. Typical examples would be sawdust, asbestos, metalliferous dust, coal dust, silica dust and flour. Fine dust particles can be in various different sizes, meaning that not all dust particles can be seen by the naked eye. 

You can separate smaller dust particles up into two groups.

• Inhalable dust: This is dust that can cause an individual to have respiratory issues.
• Respirable dust: This is invisible dust that is easy to breathe in large amounts.

While larger dust particles may seem like a more obvious health risk, it’s actually finer dust that’s the most dangerous. Larger particles tend to get blocked by our nose hairs or the cilia cells and mucus lining in our airways, which prevents them from getting to the lungs. Smaller particles, however, evade our bodies’ natural defences and become absorbed in the bloodstream or trapped in the lungs. Although our bodies have certain white blood cells that bind to and destroy dust particles in the lungs, long-term exposure to high concentrations of dust can still harm our health.

How to prevent dust build up. 

One of the most important steps in preventing dust accumulation in the workplace is to implement proper ventilation and dust control measures. This involves ensuring that work areas are correctly ventilated to minimise the build-up of dust particles in the air. Workplaces where dust production levels are high should consider installing ventilation systems that can effectively remove dust from the air and provide a cleaner and safer working environment.

Regular cleaning and maintenance of equipment and work areas is also crucial in preventing dust build up in the workplace. Dust can accumulate on surfaces and machinery over time, increasing the risk of both ignition and inhalation. Employers should therefore establish a regular cleaning schedule and ensure that all employees are trained on proper cleaning procedures. This includes using appropriate cleaning tools and products to effectively remove dust and debris.

The most effective tool to use in dust prevention in large warehouses or buildings is to use an industrial vacuum cleaner. These are powerful vacuums that are designed to tackle heavy-duty dust build-up, like those in manufacturing plants, where dust particles are generated on a much larger scale. Industrial vacuum cleaners provide the power and the coverage to tackle large contaminations in even bigger spaces. Plus, in more serious cases, it’s possible for multiple people to use the vacuum at once, covering a larger space in less time, to further remove the potential health risk. 

It’s also recommended to look for an industrial vacuum cleaner that comes with a HEPA filter. These filters are certified to remove at least 99.97% of dust particles from the air, down to 0.3 microns in size. Once these particles are removed, they’re trapped in the filter and can’t escape back into the environment, leaving a more hygienic environment for workers.

If you’re seeking a dependable and efficient cleaning solution, explore our range of cleaning equipment, including industrial vacuum cleaners for hire or sale today. Speak to our experts and discover how we can help you transform your industrial clean-up processes and contribute to a safer, cleaner and more productive workspace.