A dust management plan should reduce exposure, stop disruption, and make compliance straightforward. On UK sites that means controlling respirable crystalline silica (RCS), wood dust and other airborne particulate while keeping productivity high.

Build your plan around three layers

1) Capture at source

• List dust-generating tasks by phase (cutting, chasing, raking, sanding). For each, specify on-tool extraction or water suppression.
• Match shrouds and guards to the tool and accessory; check fit before works.
• Set cutting speeds and methods that minimise plume. Redesign processes where practical to prefabricate or cut outdoors.
• Use LEV with airflow under load adequate for the task, not free-air figures.

2) Capture in the air

• When work is indoors or confined, add an air scrubber or negative air machine with sealed ducting to create directional airflow.
• Specify the correct filter class; use H14 for fine and carcinogenic dusts such as RCS.
• Position units to pull dust away from workers and through the containment, not across the workface. Equipment such as MAXVAC Dustblocker units can provide continuous recirculation or negative pressure when ducted.

3) Capture on surfaces

• Ban dry sweeping and compressed air. Use industrial vacuums with high-efficiency filtration and anti-static hoses.
• Clean as you go: schedule housekeeping into RAMS and assign responsibility per zone.
• Bag waste at source; damp down before disposal if needed.

Make it operational

• Define roles: who sets the controls, who checks them, and who signs off changes.
• Maintenance: record filter changes, PAT, and LEV checks. Monitor pressure drop to plan servicing.
• Verification: use a particulate monitor for spot checks. If readings trend up, review capture at source first, then air control.
• Training: toolbox talks on setup, airflow under load, filter care, and no-sweep rules.

Practical takeaways

• Write controls per task using the three-layer framework.
• Select filters and equipment for the dust type; use H14 where RCS is present.
• Plan positions for air scrubbers and routes for ducting before work starts.
• Measure, review, and update—treat the plan as a live document.

Keep compliance simple: align your plan with COSHH and HSE EH40 limits (RCS WEL is 0.1 mg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA), but let practical controls drive day-to-day decisions.