Dust in your construction site isn’t just a nuisance but a health hazard that might expose you and your employees to dangerous respiratory issues. The sand and concrete regularly used usually contain silica dust that accumulates in your lungs to cause a dangerous respiratory disease called silicosis. In addition, too much exposure to dust causes long-term health-related issues such as lung diseases. The good thing is that you can reliably remove dust from air around your construction site. Below are some of the dangers of dust in your construction site and how to handle it.
Major Culprit For Respiratory Issues
Workers in your construction site are at a higher risk of contracting respiratory diseases due to dust exposure. Excessive dust build-up affects the respiratory system by damaging the surrounding tissue. Before you know it, your breathing system will be too affected that remedying it will be a daunting task. With too much dust in the air currents, you’ll have difficulty breathing alongside other respiratory issues. In the long term, you might contract major diseases such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), which might be difficult to treat. To prevent this, ensure that you source adequate dust prevention systems from reliable brands. It’s also important to wear protective equipment such as safety glasses, earmuffs, gloves, and respiratory masks. This way, you keep away any dust particles that might cause major health concerns.
Harbors On Your Working Clothes
While working at a construction site, you can easily take the dust home to your family through your clothing. Dust particles quickly harbor on the clothes thus exposing your family to dust effects. However, you can easily avoid this by wearing washable working clothes. Additionally, ensure that you shower and change into clean clothes after work. Similarly, park your car away from the construction site to prevent dust from settling on it.
Machine and Equipment Damage
Excessive dust build-up damages the equipment such as the engine, bringing quick wear and tear to your construction equipment. Usually, dust penetrates the engine cylinder, thus rendering the piston and cylinder worn out. Dust also wreaks havoc on power drills as it comes into contact with the greased surfaces resulting in wear and tear in the equipment. Also, when dust builds up on equipment and it gets wet, you can experience issues with bolts and nuts. This means that your equipment will not be working at its best. Watering the construction sites frequently effectively manages dust. Do so 3 times a day but don’t overwater to avoid erosion and runoff. You can also apply mulch and vegetation to reduce the amount of dust in the atmosphere. Doing so reduces dust build-up on your equipment thus maximizing their efficiency.
Causes Dust Fires And Explosions
When too much dust accumulates in your construction site, it might lead to fires and explosions. This is common when dust combines with dangerous chemicals thus causing explosions. Keep in mind that dust particles are sometimes an accumulation of the powder chemicals you use. Therefore, you should apply the right dust abatement measures to avoid these issues. For instance, the use of barricades to contain dust onsite works great. Furthermore, dust control technology alongside dust collection systems will help abate the dust too. Also, you should frequently clean the construction site to prevent dust build-up.
To offer employees and those living near your construction site a safe environment, you must monitor the quality of air in the worksite. This is important because it will not only safeguard the workers but will help improve their productivity. This will in turn improve your business operations and bottom line.
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