Construction industry
Construction dust can severely harm the health of construction workers, and prolonged exposure can even be fatal. Dust is also one of the main sources of conflicts with nearby neighbors. Therefore, it is essential to adopt controlled engineering methods, work practice methods, and dust suppression methods to prevent and mitigate these health issues. To support workers, ABCDust offers smart and sustainable solutions for dust control and soil stabilization tailored to the construction industry.
Impact of Construction Dust
Construction dust is a general term used to describe various types of dust found on construction sites. There are three main types:
- Silica dust, created by working with materials containing silica, such as concrete, mortar, and sandstone (also known as respirable crystalline silica).
- Wood dust, produced when working with softwood, hardwood, and wood-based products like MDF and plywood.
- Low-toxicity dusts, generated when working with materials containing little to no silica, such as plaster (e.g., drywall), limestone, marble, and dolomite.
Each type of dust can be harmful.
Dust is not always an obvious hazard because the particles that cause the most damage are not visible to the naked eye, and the health effects may take years to manifest.
The primary dust-related illnesses affecting construction workers include:
- Lung cancer
- Silicosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Eye damage and vision loss
Tasks at risk when performed without proper controls include:
- Cutting curbs, blocks, paving slabs, tiles, and other concrete products with a saw.
- Chasing, scraping, or grinding concrete.
- Prolonged drilling or coring, especially indoors.
- Abrasive blasting under pressure.
- Cutting and sanding wood with power tools.
- Sanding drywall joints.
- Dry sweeping.
- Demolition activities.
Reducing the Impact of Construction Dust
The three key steps to controlling dust and its effects are (see also Wu et al., 2016):
Risk Assessment:
It is crucial to evaluate the risks associated with specific tasks and materials. High-energy tasks pose greater risks. High-energy tools like saws, grinders, and sandblasters can generate significant amounts of dust in a short time. Workers performing the same dusty tasks daily or working longer shifts are more severely affected. Enclosed spaces tend to accumulate more dust.Risk Control:
Operators can control dust by using tools with proper enclosures, masks with filters, and safety goggles, along with watering, ventilation, and extraction systems. Water dampens dust clouds, and for it to be effective, sufficient quantities must be supplied throughout the operation. Pre-wetting the material is insufficient, and on-tool extraction removes dust effectively.Reviewing Controls:
Reviewing the effectiveness of applied standards and protocols is essential. This includes conducting dust exposure checks, ensuring proper cleaning, storage, and maintenance of equipment, and monitoring worker adherence to safety measures.
Benefits of Dust Control and Soil Stabilization
For many industrial operations, sustainable and efficient dust control methods are a key concern. When it comes to suppressing dust on construction sites, water alone is ineffective.
Using water as a traditional means of dust suppression involves applying moisture to dirt roads, making the particles stick together, as reported by Alaska’s DEC. Although water is relatively cheap and readily available, and no special engineering is required to produce it, it is not a long-term solution.
Watering involves a combination of sprinklers, mists, and water cannons. While light and frequent application is better than heavy and infrequent use, the nature of water molecules causes the area to dry quickly, as noted by The Guardian.
Ultimately, water is an inefficient and short-term solution for what is often a large-scale and long-term problem.
Another significant issue with water-based dust control is wastage. Enormous amounts of water are needed to effectively suppress dust-related issues.
The good news is that better alternatives exist for dust control.
ABCDust offers smart and sustainable solutions for dust control and soil stabilization in the construction industry, capable of reducing dust emissions by up to 98%.
Using dust control and soil stabilization solutions on construction sites provides numerous benefits:
- Reduces dust emissions by up to 98%.
- Improves air quality.
- Protects worker health.
- Enhances road quality.
- Increases productivity.
Recommended solutions from ABCDust
DMS-DS 100
DMS-DS® 100 is specially designed for soil stabilization and dust control of industrial roads, haul road and well-compacted surfaces, improving its overall strength and road materials agglutination.
Main attributes and characteristics :
- Reduce dust levels up to 85-95%
- Improve road braking distance, improving road safety
- Improve rolling resistance, reducing fuel consumption
- Non-toxic & non-corrosive product
- Excellent water and UV resistance
- Acid and alkaline waters resistance
- Non-ionic
