Refurbishing offices, retail or healthcare while occupied demands tight dust control to protect staff, customers and equipment. The goal is simple: stop dust leaving the workface, stabilise the air, and prevent re‑agitation during clean-up.

Containment and negative pressure

Build a robust temporary enclosure and maintain a single access route. Modular systems like ZipWall help create clean separations quickly. Run negative pressure inside the work zone and exhaust to a safe location; portable air scrubbers such as MAXVAC Dustblockers can provide continuous filtration with suitable HEPA media. Use a manometer to confirm a steady pressure differential and check airflow under load.

Source capture on tools

Fit extraction shrouds on saws, grinders and rakers, and connect to industrial vacuums of the correct class (M for general construction dust; H where high hazard). Use water suppression where feasible and adjust cutting speeds to reduce release. Plan noisy, dusty tasks out of hours when possible.

Protect finishes and routes

Lay fleece floor protection to trap debris on travel routes and protect surfaces. Establish waste routes with sealed bins and timed removals. Use tack mats and a clean/dirty change point at the enclosure entry. Where noise control helps occupancy, acoustic screens such as Soundblockers can reduce disruption without blocking airflow paths.

Housekeeping and verification

Vacuum visible dust promptly; avoid sweeping. Wipe touch points daily. Track background particulate with a simple meter and keep records in the site log. Communicate schedules and any short-term peaks to the client so sensitive operations can be planned around them.

Practical takeaways

• Build airtight containments and maintain negative pressure.
• Use on-tool extraction and water suppression at the workface.
• Protect floors and set defined waste routes.
• Clean with industrial vacuums only; track PM trends.
• Coordinate timing and communicate with building users.

This three-layer approach—capture at source, control in the air, and capture on surfaces—keeps live environments safe and operational while work proceeds.