AIR, GAS & ODOUR CONTROL
COMBATING DUST & FUMES
VODEX
WHY RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IS SO IMPORTANT
Dust and fumes are a problem with which
we are all familiar in our homes, but it
can be a much more serious problem in
the workplace. The UK Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) has already estimated that
there are still 1500 new cases of work-related
asthma per year.
Paul Riddick, Co-Founder and Technical
Director at fume and dust extraction
specialists Vodex explores how contaminates
being produced on a daily basis in the
workplace can damage your health and
could even prove fatal.
Employers have a legal responsibility
to protect their employees and the
surrounding environment from airborne
contaminants, but they also have a social
responsibility to look after the health and
wellbeing of their employees.
Repeated exposure to vapours, fumes and
dust is a health hazard. Although vapours
are invisible, and many dust particles can
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PECM Issue 38
be very small (Less than 5 microns) and also
invisible to the naked eye, this doesn’t mean
the dangers for operators don’t exist.
Broadly speaking, dust can be classified into
two types: inhalable and respirable dust.
Inhalable dust is generally visible to the
naked eye under normal light conditions,
but it is small enough to get into a person’s
nose, throat, and mouth.
Respirable dust particles are generally more
hazardous, as they are too small for most
people to be able to see with the naked eye,
so they may be unaware that there is any
dust in the environment. These particles are
small enough to get right into the smaller
tubules of the lungs, and can cause physical
blockage or irritation. It can extremely
dangerous if the material is toxic or even
carcinogenic, as the lungs may be able to
absorb it quickly into the bloodstream.
Some exposure symptoms can be
immediate, such as runny eyes and nose,
sore throat and chest pains. Left unchecked,
they could lead to Occupational Asthma.
This can be a serious condition leading
to severe chronic asthma if exposure
to a respiratory sensitiser continues. It
can take weeks, months or even years to
develop, depending on the person and the
substance.
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM HAZARDOUS
FUMES AND DUST AT WORK?
Under COSHH Regulations, an employer has
a legal responsibility in the UK to carrying
out a risk assessment that will highlight any
problem areas.
The first step to controlling exposure to
fumes and dust is to normally examine how
they are created in the first place. There may
be ways to reduce the volume of fumes or
dust that is made or to ensure that less of it
becomes airborne.