With the hidden dangers in dust, businesses must come up with a solid plan on how to manage these tiny particles, making sure they won’t be a risk. They threaten not only the health of workers but the environment as well. If you have a business where dust is a risk, make sure to not commit the mistakes we’ll talk about in this post.
- Not Training Employees
One of the most important is to educate your employees. Inform them about the sources of dust and their dangers. When they are aware of the hazards, they will be more proactive in their approach towards dust management. A robust training program is one of the requirements when it comes to implementing a successful dust suppression strategy.
2. Not Spending Money
Dust management requires the company to invest, especially in state-of-the-art equipment. For instance, in construction, mining, manufacturing, and other places where dust is a threat, investing in equipment from Bosstek is a must. It saturates dust from the source to prevent it from being blown. Without spending money, it is impossible to have the necessary equipment to effectively manage dust in the workplace.
3. Not Having a Plan
A comprehensive dust management plan is also a prerequisite. The management must draft a detailed plan on how it intends to tackle dust, making sure that it won’t be a threat to the employees, the public, and the environment. The plan must outline the strategies in place to mitigate the risks.
4. Not Making PPE Mandatory
To prevent airborne dust from being a threat, companies should make it mandatory for the employees to wear personal protective equipment. Whether it is goggles, respirators, or masks, among others that protect against dust, wearing PPE should not be optional. There should be strict implementation of the rules and failure to follow should have consequences. To encourage employees to wear PPE, the top management should show a good example.
5. Not Evaluating the Materials
There are different types of hazardous dust in the workplace, including mineral dust, metallic dust, vegetable dust, and chemical dust, among others. To prevent exposure, one of the best things to do is to rethink the materials used and consider alternatives that won’t generate dangerous dusts. If the materials cannot be altered, at least, the management must consider possible changes in the processes to minimize the production of dust.
6. Not Having Enough Ventilation
Ventilation is another must-have in an effective dust management practice. The absence of sufficient ventilation traps the dust in the worksite, which makes it more dangerous. With an appropriate ventilation system, on the other hand, dust is routed away from the workers, minimizing the chances of exposure and mitigating the health risks.
Dust may be tiny particles, but they have huge health and environmental impact. Regardless of the nature of the business, if dust is a serious concern, it is critical to avoid the mistakes mentioned above.
