Dust can be associated with health hazards but how dangerous is dust? Minor health issues include nasal dryness, headaches, eczema, eye irritation and occupational asthma just to name a few. Without any intervention more serious issues such as silicosis, asbestosis and cancer can occur. But how can something so insignificant such as dust cause all of these issues? Well the answer there is that dust can actually be deadly. Especially if it’s not kept under control and you are consequently subject to excessive exposure.
Dust comes in many different forms. These can include flour, vegetable, wood, metallic, mineral, cotton, pollen, mould and spores. It isn’t always visible to the naked eye but can still be significantly dangerous. Studies show that approximately 40% of workers in Australia are subjected to dust exposure in the workplace. Miners are hit with the certainly higher exposure rate with 80% of employees reporting airborne hazard exposure. Men are also exposed more that women as well as the exposure being for longer.
There are many management strategies that can be useful to prevent exposure in the workplace. The best guidelines to follow are that of Australian standards and SAI Global Standards. Monitoring your dust levels is probably the first place to start.
Some Tips to Minimise your Workplace Dust Exposure
- Wear goggles and a face mask
- Don’t kick dust around the workplace
- Clean your workplace frequently
- Adequate ventilation is essential in the workplace
- Execute a dust monitoring program
- Try to eliminate dust by altering your work tasks
- Use wetting agents to control dust before they become airborne
- Install dust control devices such as dust collectors, vacuum systems and local exhaust ventilation
- Regular maintenance and servicing on all dust control equipment
WDIS.WA are able to help if you require a local dust extraction unit or a workplace evaluation. We can also set up a regular service and maintenance plan for your system. Our friendly team are happy to help and have lots of experience in the industry. Give WDIS.WA a call to book your free consultation today.
