Size Matters! No more so than when discussing particulate size

Dust levels are expressed by their diameter for air quality purposes and these with a diameter of 10 microns or less (PM10) are inhalable into the lungs. 

Construction workers are at high risk of contracting lung disease, and silica dust exposure contributes to around 230 deaths a year. 

The two main types of dust on a demolition or construction site that can be harmful to health are silica dust and non-silica dust. 

Silica dust is a natural substance that can be found in rock, sand, stone, and clay but will also be present in concrete and some mortars. 

It is also known as RCS, Respirable crystalline Silica, which can be produced when grinding, drilling, or cutting. 

Respirable particles are typically less than 5 micrometers (5 μm) in size. Non Silica Dust may be found in products such as cement, limestone, marble, and gypsum, it may also be mixed in with RCS when cutting bricks. 

Best practice control measures such as using extraction on tools, water damping, exclusion zones, and breathing protective equipment will all assist in reducing the dust level on-site, such that you may not see the dust but it could still be present in harmful quantities. 

Our airborne particulate monitoring equipment records in real time, accurate mass concentrations of not only PM10, but PM1 and PM2.5. 

Instant alerts to raised levels of PM can lead to quicker and more effective control measures being implemented, with all readings stored and available for review or real-time via our cloud system. 

With ever increasing legislation and controls being implemented, ensure compliance and best practice with real-time dust monitoring.