Management of dust is often neglected as it has been considered a nuisance, rather than a serious health and safety hazard.
Consider the focus on and investment in immediate safety issues that are managed by high visibility clothing, safety glasses, gloves, barriers, harnesses etc, and compare this to the management or understanding of dust exposure. However, dust control is a very important factor for worker’s health with flow-on effects on work productivity, and the impact on society of coping with the associated illnesses and deaths.
A large factor is that problems caused by dust can take years to appear.
Many older building materials (roofing, fences, wall sheeting, fireproofing) and services such as pipes and service pits contain asbestos, posing a risk during demolition or destruction by natural disasters like earthquakes. Asbestos presents as extremely fine, respirable fibres that can be up to 200 times thinner than a human hair. Exposure to asbestos over time increases the risk of a range of diseases and cancer types, with mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining) one of the more infamous varieties.
In
mining,
quarrying and
other civil
construction
areas, the
excavation and
handling result
in fugitive
dust. Minerals
such as quartz
and topaz,
mainly the sand
fractions, and
cementitious
materials
present silica.
Silica is the
chemical
composition of
silicon oxide
which when
breathed in
results in
silicosis, a
lung disease
that is
incurable.
Silicosis is a
gateway to
other diseases
because it
increases the
risk of
rheumatoid
arthritis,
kidney disease,
chronic lung
disease,
tuberculosis
and lung
cancer.
Dust
from coal is
generated
during the
mining,
processing, and
transport of
the commodity.
It is also
ground to fine
dust before
being burned as
it improves the
speed and
efficiency of
combustion, and
makes coal
easier to
handle. Dust
suspended in
the air is an
acute explosion
risk (often
well managed)
and also a
chronic hazard
of causing
pulmonary
diseases when
inhaled.
Respirable coal
dust is a
concern because
it has
substances such
as mercury,
nickel, cadmium
and arsenic, as
well as radio
isotopes of
thorium and
strontium.
The
risk of disease
associated with
asbestos,
silica and coal
increases with
time and
frequency of
exposure to
dust, however,
any level of
uncontrolled
exposure can
lead to
disease.
Risk
increases over
time because
these fine
particles
accumulate and
they are
influenced by
chemical
composition,
mass
concentration
and particles
size.
In
addition to
huge health
problems
related to lung
diseases, dust
that is
generated
mainly on
unsealed public
roads, haul
roads and in
mining can
cause eye
irritation, low
visibility and
lead to serious
accidents.
Global Road Technology has a range of dust management technologies to improve the safety of workers and communities. Each product has a specific objective in the industry with a particular focus around preventing dust from becoming airborne or quickly stripping them out of suspension.