Public venues live and die by air quality and cleanliness. Footfall, events and frequent maintenance kick up dust that affects visitors, staff and equipment. A practical plan keeps particulate under control without disrupting operations.

Know your dust and timings

Typical sources include entrance traffic, gym chalk, confetti and textiles, catering prep, and out-of-hours repairs. Schedule dusty tasks when spaces are empty, and protect adjacent areas with temporary barriers and controlled airflow.

Layered control for busy spaces

1) Capture at source

• Use tool-mounted extraction for drilling, grinding and sanding; fit correct shrouds.
• For gyms, provide chalk stations with local exhaust and encourage liquid chalk to cut pluming.
• Fit entrance matting and clean it frequently to intercept grit that becomes airborne dust.

2) Capture in the air

• Deploy portable air scrubbers with H14 filtration during refurbishments and turnarounds. Place units to pull air away from public routes; check airflow under load.
• If works are in a room, establish temporary negative air to stop migration to concourses and offices.
• Coordinate with FM so HVAC filters and setpoints are not compromised by added resistance.

3) Capture on surfaces

• Avoid sweeping and leaf blowers. Use industrial vacuums with high-efficiency filtration for seats, bleachers and plant rooms.
• Microfibre damp mopping outperforms dry dusters on hard floors and reduces re-suspension.

Monitor and adjust

A handheld PM meter gives quick feedback before reopening: walk the route, check hotspots like entrances and food counters, and extend scrubbing if readings remain elevated. Keep short notes to support COSHH and cleaning KPIs.

Practical takeaways

• Time dusty work for closures; isolate with barriers and airflow from clean to dirty.
• Use extraction on tools and provide controlled chalk stations.
• Run H14 air scrubbers for fit-outs; validate with a PM meter.
• Vacuum, do not sweep; finish with microfibre damp cleaning.
• Coordinate controls with site HVAC and cleaning teams.

Consistent use of source capture, H14 air cleaning and disciplined housekeeping protects visitors and staff, reduces clean-up time and keeps venues looking professional.