Construction dust can seriously harm a worker's health and lead to fatal illnesses.
Workers in the construction industry may be exposed to lead, wood, and silica dust, among other types of dust.
Small amounts of respirable crystalline silica, commonly known as silica dust, can cause major illnesses such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease, and silicosis.
Around two million construction workers are thought to be exposed to silica dust at work.
Particular measures are frequently insufficient for adequately regulating dust, forcing the usage of respirators.
When worn appropriately, a respirator is made to prevent employees from breathing in dangerous dust.
In this guide, we will go into further detail on respirators being used for dust in construction.
Sources Of Dust In Construction
Silica dust exposure can occur from a variety of sources for construction workers.
For instance, while cutting, sawing, jackhammering, mixing, grinding, chipping, and cleaning concrete, employees may be exposed to silica dust.
Silica dusk can be stopped partly by wearing a dust mask. Cutting bricks and concrete blocks, preparing mortar, and tuck pointing are all activities that can expose masons.
Cutting ceramic or stone tiles might expose tile workers to danger from silica, other construction dust, and various other respiratory hazards.
Workers who are constructing roads, streets, and bridges may be exposed when cutting, breaking, drilling, and milling concrete.
Workers in the site preparation industry may be exposed while performing earth moving, excavation and trenching, demolition, and cutting and sanding joints on drywall.
Thus, they need easy access to clean air away from any respiratory hazard.
Employers Must Limit Exposure
Employers must limit worker exposure to silica dust and provide them with protection.
This is under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) silica dust regulation for construction.
Employers must limit worker exposure to silica dust and provide them with protection under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) silica dust regulation for construction.
By connecting 18 typical construction activities with efficient dust control techniques and respiratory protection, the OSHA has streamlined the compliance procedure in the construction industry.
Employers must carry out those responsibilities while utilizing the controls listed in compliance, to help prevent any health hazard.
Employers are obligated to conduct air sampling to measure workers' exposure to silica or obtain unbiased data to demonstrate compliance if controls are not being used or when performing tasks not listed.
As well as this, employers are also expected to provide a fit test for employees, in order to make sure that the entire mask or respirator fits and provides no breathing resistance.
This is especially important for construction workers or those exposed to acid gases or organic vapors.
Choosing Respirators For Dust Control
There are two main categories of approved air-purifying masks: powered and non-powered.
Negative-pressure respirators, which are both powered and non-powered, are sometimes known as powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs). Many of such masks include a battery-powered fan!
Non-Powered Respirators
There are numerous filter materials for negative-pressure respirators, and these can often be swapped depending on the intended respirator use.
Replaceable filter cartridges are designed as per their level of oil resistance because some filters are destroyed by oil mist. These include the following:
- N filters are not oil resistant.
- R filters are only oil resistant for one use.
- P filters are completely oil resistant.
Any of the above filters will be effective for mineral dusts like silica unless there is an oil mist source present in the workplace.
Percussion drills are the most typical source of oil mist in the construction industry.
Negative-pressure respirators include face-filtering respirators and reusable half-masks and dust masks.
Reusable Half Masks
A face piece or mask, made of molded rubber or plastic, serves as the filter-holding component of a reusable half-mask.
The mask has straps that ensure a secure fit on the person’s face and is equipped with intake and exhaust valves.
The filter material can vary quite massively across all of the various dust masks.
The seal on these dust masks are leak-tight, the half-mask respirator's replaceable filter eliminates dust, helping to make it easier to draw air, improving the respirator's effectiveness.
On rare occasions, the seal may cause skin irritation for individuals with sensitive skin. Additionally, these respirators can interfere with eyeglasses, goggles, and conversation.
Filtering Facepiece Respirator (FFR)
An additional type of negative pressure air purifying respirator is called an FFR, also commonly called dust masks.
Compared to half-mask respirators, FFRs are lighter in design. The material used to cover the nose and the mouth. Which serves as the basis for the complete mask.
In contrast to respirators with removable filters, FFRs have some benefits. They are particularly comfier and maintenance-free.
An FFR might make it harder to pass a fit test compared to a reusable half-mask. Therefore, they frequently perform significantly worse than half-masks.
This also isn't helped by the fact that you cannot replace filters in such masks, making them a single-use product that is far less efficient than good particulate respirators or facepiece respirators.
Powered Respirators
Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) pull air through a filter and provide it to the wearer through a fan.
Compared to non powered respirators, these masks are more comfortable to breathe through.
Although, in order to function correctly, they need a completely charged battery. Three filter classes exist for PAPRs:
- PAPR100-P,
- PAPR100-N,
- HE.
A minimum performance level of 99.97% must be demonstrated for each of the three filter types.
In order to select the appropriate filters or cartridges, it is crucial to understand what the danger is and what percentage of it is present in the air.
In order to provide protection for the head, lungs, eyes, and face in one unit, PAPRs are frequently constructed alongside a hard hat fitted with a belt-worn fan and battery or a rechargeable battery fan.
Alongside a face visor and filtering system.
It is known that these types of respirators are much easier to breathe in, which makes them a popular choice.
Facial hair can be accommodated with loose-fitting PAPRs. OSHA mandates that facepiece PAPRs be fit-tested and used without facial hair to create a tight fit.
The facial hair can cause the mask to not sit properly, which then makes the respirator inefficient, as dust will be able to find a way inside the mask.
Using A Respirator
Wearers of respirators should adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. A tight seal is crucial, but so is comfort.
Before choosing the respirator that fits his or her face the best, an individual should test out various sizes or brands.
Both positive and negative pressure seal examinations are needed.
Especially, after a respirator has been worn to make sure it is still leak-proof, which could reduce the effectiveness of the respirator.
Maintenance Requirements Of Respirators
Simple maintenance is required for respirators. The user should make sure the filters are in good condition.
In addition to that, the exhalation and inhalation valves still need to be functional.
No straps should be broken or slipping, the face piece is reasonably clean, and there are no abnormalities or tears.
The usage of respirators requires routine filter change. Filters typically need to be changed when breathing becomes more difficult, when they get broken or dirty, or at the end of a shift.
Especially, if the filter has been exposed to oil mists. A different strategy is to change filters once they are loaded with 200 mg of dust.
Final Thoughts
Hazardous dust can be inhaled by workers during several building jobs.
You need to choose the right respirator for the job to protect your employees, and make sure it is worn correctly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and OSHA regulations.
Keep your staff members healthy and safe, by equipping them with the correct type of respiration and changing these respirators as and when needed.
We hope this guide has been helpful in providing you with answers on the different respirators that should be used for dust in the construction industry.