Construction industry

Construction dust is a general term used to describe different dusts that you may find on a construction site. There are three main types:

1. silica dust, created when working on silica-containing materials like concrete, mortar and sandstone (also known as respirable crystalline silica),
2. wood dust, created when working on softwood, hardwood and wood-based products like MDF and plywood,
3. lower toxicity dusts were created when working on materials containing very little or no silica, such as gypsum (e.g., in drywall), limestone, marble, and dolomite.

Each of these types of dust can be harmful.

Dust is not always an obvious hazard because the particles that do the most damage are not visible to the human eye and the health effects can take years to develop.

The main dust-related diseases affecting construction workers are:

• Lung cancer
• Silicosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Asthma
• Cardiovascular diseases,
• Ocular damage and loss of vision 

Some lung diseases, 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, damage them gradually over time, and the effects are often not immediately apparent. Unfortunately, by the time most people notice that they have a problem, the damage may already be severe and life-changing, with permanent disability and even early death. 

Jobs at risk when done without the right controls include:

• Using a cut-off saw on curbs, blocks, paving slabs, roof tiles and other concrete products
• Chasing, scabbling or grinding concrete
• Drilling or coring for long periods, particularly indoors
• Abrasive pressure blasting
• Cutting and sanding wood with power tools
• Sanding plasterboard jointing
• Dry sweeping
• Demolition