Source extraction removes dust at the point of generation, before it can dilute into the room. That single fact makes it the most efficient control: the smaller the plume, the less airflow and energy you need to capture it, and the fewer people are exposed.

Why it outperforms room controls

• Physics favours proximity: a collection hood a few millimetres from the cut needs far less airflow than an air scrubber chasing dispersed dust.
• It prevents secondary exposure by stopping deposition on surfaces and clothing.
• It reduces filter loading across the site because less dust reaches general air cleaning units.

Where it fits in the three-layer plan

• Capture at source: on-tool extraction and water suppression do the heavy lifting.
• Capture in the air: use air scrubbers or negative air for residuals and cross-drafts; size by airflow under load and maintain correct filter class.
• Capture on surfaces: vacuum-only housekeeping to prevent re-agitation.

Practical steps to maximise efficiency

• Map high-dust tasks (cutting, chasing, grinding, sanding); prioritise them for on-tool extraction.
• Choose M-Class as a minimum for mineral/wood dusts and H-Class or H14 filtration for respirable or carcinogenic dusts.
• Keep hoses short and correctly sized; eliminate crushed or taped joints that leak capture.
• Enable auto filter cleaning where present and change bags before performance drops.
• Validate with a quick PM reading at the operator’s breathing zone; if levels remain high, review shroud fit and technique first.

Compliance context

Meeting the HSE WEL for RCS at 0.1 mg/m³ is far more achievable when dust never spreads. Source extraction reduces reliance on RPE and supports COSHH’s requirement to control exposures at source where reasonably practicable.

Practical takeaways

• Put source extraction on the highest dust tasks first.
• Judge systems by under-load airflow and filtration class, not free-air claims.
• Use air scrubbers and housekeeping as supportive layers, not substitutes.

In short, removing dust where it starts delivers safer air, fewer clean-ups and lower energy use. Everything else should build around that foundation.