Dust Suppression and your worksite

Do you want to know more about dust suppression? Dust is an environmental contaminant. If your worksite is producing or generating dust, you may need to reduce or control the levels of dust in order to protect the health of your workforce and the general public.

You can find out more about your responsibilities to reduce or control dust levels or provide PPE to protect against dust on the WorkSafe website.

What is dust suppression?

Dust suppression is the practice of preventing fine particles of dust from travelling through the air.

Dust suppression is used in many industries for health and safety reasons and to protect the surrounding environment. In construction and roading, water is commonly used to suppress dust caused by dry unsealed roads or pavements or dust caused by construction practices.

Dust can be more of a problem in the drier Spring and Summer months when the natural sources of moisture dry up, increasing the likelihood of airborne particles. Dust is strongly affected by weather conditions and tends to be more of an issue on dry windy days.

Why does dust need to be suppressed?

Dust is considered an environmental contaminant because high levels of dust can cause respiratory problems. Construction and roading sites can generate high levels of dust. Dust can be caused by a wide variety of activities including:

• digging, cutting, sanding, grinding, sweeping
• handling of building materials
• being on a dry and exposed work site
• wind and heat.

You can find out more about the risks associated with dust on your worksite here: https://www.sitesafe.org.nz/guides–resources/practical-safety-advice/dust/

How can I suppress dust on my worksite?

Covering any sources of dust, particularly on windy days, is an important way to reduce airborne dust on a work site. Building materials such as sand, bricks, rocks, stone, and clay should all be kept covered as much as possible.

Water is a popular solution to reduce or suppress dust on a construction site. Water and wet working methods can help to reduce airborne dust and the risk of inhalation.

Road watering and dust suppression

The movement of vehicles on a worksite can cause high dust levels, particularly on unsealed roads where there may be a buildup of dirt or building materials.

Using water on the surface of dirt roads and pavements sticks particles together and prevents dust particles from polluting the surrounding area. Water trucks, water carts, hoses can all be used to keep roads wet and suppress dust.

Road sweeping and dust suppression

Keeping roads clear of excess dirt and building materials is an important part of reducing dust in and around a work or roading site.

The act of sweeping can increase dust levels. Dust should be minimised by wetting the road surface with water prior to sweeping. This can be done by choosing a sweeper with built in dust suppression tools, or by using a water cart or tank and hose to wet the road surface before using a conventional sweeper to clear any debris.

Hire dust suppression tools from Allways Hire today

Allways Hire has years of experience helping Hawke’s Bay businesses to manage their dust levels whatever the season. We understand the challenges our local weather throws at us and can help you choose the best dust suppression tool for your worksite, to keep your team safe and minimise the dust levels for the surrounding area.

Contact our team today on 06 872 6774 or take a closer look at the equipment we have available to hire.