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Dust is a common hazard in the construction industry, especially during demolition or refurbishment. When buildings are demolished they can release materials that create hazardous dust (airborne contaminants) which can be hazardous to workers’ health. Understanding the risks will help you to identify how best to manage the risks.

Why is dust dangerous?

Exposure to hazardous dust can lead to serious health conditions, including:

• Silicosis – A lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust, common in concrete, brick, and stone materials.
• Lung Cancer – Prolonged exposure to certain airborne contaminants increases the risk.
• Asthma & COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) – Inhaling dust particles can trigger or worsen respiratory conditions.
• Skin & Eye Irritations – Dust exposure can cause infections and long-term discomfort.

Health and exposure monitoring
As a business, you have a duty to monitor your workers’ health when they’re exposed to certain substances and other hazardous materials. Regular health monitoring helps identify early signs of illness and ensures that the dust control measures in place are working effectively.

 Health monitoring process should include:

• collection of workers’ demographic, medical and occupational histories
• records of workers’ exposure
• respiratory questionnaire and function tests
• in some cases, chest x-ray or other radiological procedure

It is important that you get your worker’s consent to monitor their health and engage them in this process. 

Health monitoring should be carried out by a trained and competent person. They will also give recommendations based on the health monitoring results.  

How to control dust exposure on-site
Controls to minimise the exposure to dust in the workplace could include:

• on-tool dust extraction systems – attach vacuum extraction directly to power tools
• water suppression – dampen materials to prevent dust from becoming airborne
• personal protective equipment (PPE) – ensure workers wear correctly fitted masks and protective gear

Making sure your workers have the right tools and information to complete the job safely includes training and understanding the risks involved, what to do if anything should go wrong, as well as the correct use, storage, and maintenance of PPE.

Other controls to consider are:

• limiting worker exposure – keep unnecessary personnel away from dusty areas
• task rotation – reduce the time any one worker spends in high-dust zones
• Dust containment – using sheeting or temporary screens to enclose the work to stop dust from escaping

Complete a SWMS for your demolition work through the HazardCo APP. This helps assess the risks and plan safe work processes. Involve your team so everyone can contribute and understand the plan.

Our team of health and safety experts are just a call away if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.