How to eliminate harmful particles in workplace facilities

These findings call for businesses to take serious measures to better protect workers. The question is: what can be done to eliminate harmful particles in the workplace?

Here, Anh-Tai Vuong, President, DuroVac has listed some solutions.

Listing the most harmful substances

• Listing the most harmful dust and their characteristics (asbestos, flour, grain, wood silica, etc).
• The potential health conditions that can be caused.
• Typical sources of exposure (e.g.: mining, quarrying, foundries, manufacture of glass and ceramics, etc).

How to identify particles correctly in the workplace

• Why it’s important to organise Safety Data Sheets for each hazardous substance used.
• What information these should contain (pictograms, signal words, hazard statements, etc).
• How to thoroughly train employees in handling and safety procedures of hazardous substances.

Monitoring and exposure limits 

• How to plan so hazardous exposure is either avoided or kept to an acceptable minimum.
• Listing the types of personal protection equipment, you need to supply (e.g.: respirators, gloves and goggles, etc).
• The best ways to monitor the workplace with appropriate equipment to track the degree of a hazardous substance in the air.

Elimination

• Where processes involving dust are carried out, the building and plant should be cleaned by a method that effectively removes dust accumulations.
• Selecting the best means for controlling these risks (i.e. industrial cleaning systems designed with HEPA filters).
• How to eliminate risks associated with the production process and suggesting substitute substances (e.g.: some might be available as pellets or in liquid suspension).