Dust on site is not just a nuisance. Fine particles penetrate deep into the lungs, reduce visibility, contaminate adjacent areas, and can trigger long-term disease. The greatest concern is the respirable fraction (roughly PM4 and below) from tasks like cutting, grinding, sanding, and sweeping. Silica dust from concrete and stone (RCS), hardwood dust, and welding fume particulates are all associated with serious harm.

What makes dust hazardous

Coarse debris irritates eyes and skin, but it is the fine particles you cannot see that drive risk. RCS can scar lung tissue (silicosis) and increase the risk of COPD and lung cancer. Wood dust can cause asthma and nasal cancer. Even “clean” materials become a problem when ground into respirable sizes and kept airborne by poor housekeeping.

Practical controls that work

Capture at source

• Use water suppression for masonry cutting and slower feed rates to reduce plume size.
• Fit tool-mounted extraction (LEV) with the correct shroud. Choose vacuums matched to dust class (M for most nuisance/wood; H for RCS and carcinogenic dusts).
• Plan the task: pre-cut off-site, prefabricate, or use wet processes where feasible.

Capture in the air

• Deploy air scrubbers or negative air to control background particulate. For fine or carcinogenic dusts, H14 filtration is the expectation.
• Size units by under-load airflow, not free-air figures, and position for a clear air path.
• On refurbishments with variable tasks, a MAXVAC Dustblocker can maintain continuous background filtration to reduce lingering airborne particulate.

Capture on surfaces

• Avoid sweeping and compressed air. Vacuum with industrial M/H-Class filtration and anti-static hoses.
• Set housekeeping intervals during the shift, not just at the end. Remove waste at source into sealed bags.
• Maintain filters and seals; blocked filters slash airflow and control.

Health and legal context

Under COSHH, you must prevent or adequately control exposure. HSE’s WEL for RCS is 0.1 mg/m³ (8-hr TWA). Hardwood dust has tighter limits than softwood. Use monitoring when uncertainty remains, and keep records of controls, maintenance, and training.

Practical takeaways

• Design out dust first; if you cannot, extract at source and verify airflow under load.
• Use H14 filtration for respirable carcinogenic dusts and avoid dry sweeping.
• Schedule housekeeping, maintain equipment, and bag waste at source.
• Train workers and check RPE is fit-tested and worn correctly.

Effective dust management protects health, improves productivity, and reduces clean-up. Make the three-layer approach routine, and your site will be safer and more efficient.