Reduce on-site dust hazards; up to 99% of dust can be removed using the right tools!
Due to the nature of work involved on construction sites, significant dust is generated from work through demolition, grinding, drilling, sanding, sawing and chasing. High-energy power tools and dry sweeping cause dust to become airborne, increasing the risk to workers breathing health.
When construction dust isn’t adequately controlled, there can be serious risks to health for trades working in that area, such as developing lung cancer, asthma, COPD and silicosis. It is estimated that over 500 construction workers die from exposure to silica dust every year.
Employer responsibilities
It is clear that dust is a major health hazard with long-term health implications and therefore, employers have a legal responsibility to protect workers from these risks. Awareness around the hazards of breathing in dust has grown rapidly given that is it the biggest killer in the industry after asbestos. There have beem several regulations introduced by the UK government to protect workers, when working in these conditions.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations state that construction companies must follow the ‘Assess, Control and Review model’. This involves assessing the current processes, identifying risks and involving workers in the review and providing training. Where risks can be prevented completely, these actions must be taken and where a risk cannot be completely removed, the risk must be controlled.
Failure to adequately protect workers’ health can result in enforcement actions and prosecution, causing financial and reputational damage to the construction company.
PWM assist many construction companies to reduce their risk to workers’ health by installing various tools such as vacuums and power tool add-ons.
How to control dust in construction
It’s impossible to completely eliminate dust production, as the tasks required, such as demolition, drilling and sanding will always create dust particles. However, technology has developed, and today, dust can be controlled to reduce the possibility of it becoming airborne and posing a risk to workers.
All our industrial vacuums have been specifically designed to handle fine concrete dust and similar. They are ideal partners for operation alongside our range of surface preparation machinery and dust control guards. In most machines we fit Teflon coated filters as standard at no extra cost, most machines have “M” rated cartridge filters as standard. Filter cleaning systems include, hand shaker, electric shaker and reverse pulse air blast. Some offer fully automatic filter cleaning. The popular “LongoPac” dust bagging system is available on many units. All vacuums are supplied with heavy duty vacuum hose as standard.
To hire industrial dust vacuums and dust separators, please visit our dust extractor hire page.
To find out more on industrial dust control, please visit our dust control page.
PWM offer the largest range of cutting guards for mortar raking, crack chasing, joint cutting, chasing for conduits and many sawing/cutting applications. All will maintain a dust free working environment when used alongside our specialist range of dust control vacuums. Our range has been fully developed over many years and incorporates many ideas and lessons learnt from practical “on site” operation. All feature depth control skids, typically in hard wearing stainless steel. Many of our cutting cowls offer “universal” fitment and are available from stock to fit most popular makes of angle grinder.
All our premium cutting cowls are designed to deliver a long service life and complete dust control. We also offer an economy cutting cowl for customers requiring dust control for limited applications.
Our dust Interceptor units will collect up to 98% of the dust created by grinding or scabbling before it even reaches the filter in your industrial vacuum. The Interceptor system reduces wear on the vacuum motors and extends the life of the vacuum filter as well as all the other components. There are no moving parts to fail or wear and all of our interceptors are maintenance free!
People find it hard to believe when we explain how good our Interceptors / Cyclone dust collector can be and the benefits to be gained, but once they try the interceptor for themselves the significant advantages become very obvious!
Our dust inteceptors “intercept” the dust before it has chance to reach the vacuum and block the filter. They are designed to create a very efficient cyclonic effect that spins out the dust towards the bottom of the waste bin, leaving the clean air at the top and centre to be exhausted into the vacuum unit greatly reducing the frequency required for filter cleaning.
When using an interceptor your filters remain cleaner for longer, therefore your effective dust control improves considerably while greatly reducing your downtime previously spent cleaning filters. The performance of even the most basic vacuum can be considerably improved by the addition of one of our proven interceptors.
As well as providing highly effective respiratory protective equipment to workers and setting up dust extraction systems or vacuums, there are on-tool extraction attachments that control the exposure to construction dust.
For hand-held power tools, you can purchase very affordable dust control attachments that can be easily fitted onto tools.
PWM supply probably the largest range of Dust Free grinding guards and cowls available. We offer some of the most durable long life guards through to low cost disposable grinding guards that are ideal for occasional use when dust control is essential. Regardless of cost all our cowls will effectively prevent dust in the workplace.
Our grinding guards and cowls can be used to work dust free when grinding floors and walls or removing coatings, paints and screeds.
Many of our dust guards are universal and can be fitted to most popular angle grinders, sanders and polishers. Many of our dust guards have flip fronts making them ideal for edging work while still delivering complete dust control.
Bush Hammers – Dust Free
Bush Hammers have been used for a great many years to give texture to a surface but until now they have rarely proved successful when fitted to large powerful machines capable of high daily productivity. Now by combining many years experience working with tungsten carbide and with sound engineering design we are able to offers levels of performance, reliability and finish previously thought to be unattainable. Six different styles of tool available to offer finishes from a fine sandblast through to a very heavy texture. The heads can be supplied individually or as part of a complete system with drive plates available for most popular grinders. Bespoke systems are available to order.
Anti-skid, decorative, surface prep or coating removal – Bush Hammers are the ideal system producing a uniform finish without tramlines or swirls and without the usual hammering of the surface and vibrations normally associated with this type of work. As with all our products – “Dust free” operation is possible.
Mobile Shotblasters – Dust Free
Designed and manufactured in Germany by Contec GmbH. With many years experience in this field you can be sure we have a machine in the range tht will meet your requirements. German design and manufacture never comes at an economy price but quality, reliability and performance is guaranteed. We can never offer the prices of our competitors but we can be sure that operating costs and productivity will very quickly repay the higher initial investment. Ease of routine maintence and low consumable costs will be appreciated long after the initial investment. Contec mobile shotblasters have a well earned reputation for reliability and always retain a high resale value. Without exception any used Contec blaster we advertise sells within a matter of days. For sure when the costs are considered over a five year period Contec mobile shotblasters will look a very attractive investment.
Summary
PWM Sales have a large range of dust control products including industrial vacuums and dust interceptors that when attached to a vacuum can remove up to 99% of the dust collected before it reaches the vacuum filter, reducing the time required for filter cleaning, as well as improving safety.
Other dust control products include AirChaser dust control guards and Typhoon dust cowls for angle grinders. There are dust guards for all the most common hand-held power tools, with a variety of size choices and adjustable depths of cut.
Many larger tools are already designed to provide dust-free operation when connected to a vacuum, such as the JS203 Cutting and Cleanout Saw.
Did you know you can hire dust control tools? PWM Sales offers a tool hire service, so you don’t need to cover the upfront costs of dust control equipment if hiring is more convenient or more cost-effective.
You can find more information on Providing Dust Extractors & Dust Control Products in the UK here.
Or you can Contact us for more information.