Construction workers and anyone who has ever cut concrete know that they are exposed to concrete dust and how harmful it is to health. Depending on the duration of exposure, it can have serious health consequences.
If not properly protected when cutting concrete, the dust can affect your health and cause chronic respiratory problems or other respiratory diseases. Many builders suffer from asthma, silicosis and even lung cancer.
Anyone involved in the construction industry knows that dry cutting with gas-powered concrete saws should no longer be used because the level of dust exposure is too high. Even if you wear a suitable mask to reduce personal exposure, dust still fills the work area and poses a health hazard to other workers and those around them. Also, if you work at a construction site indoors instead of outdoors, the concrete dust left in the room makes you inhale.
There are two seemingly successful ways to control dust and reduce environmental impact when cutting concrete.
1. Cutting wet concrete
The regular use of gas-fired concrete saw water control is an obvious and effective way to reduce the level of respirable dust. If you need to cut concrete with a circular saw or diamond blade, a little water can help reduce the dust.
There are many wet cutting techniques that you can try. For example, pour water on the rotating cutting blade while in use; or pour water directly on the cut while sawing. Water can be supplied using portable pressure tanks made by most concrete saw manufacturers. This tank holds at least eight liters of water and is effective for 15 minutes of cutting. The ratio of ½ liter of water per minute is considered a standard rate to reduce dust emissions. After that, the tank must be recycled. This is the most convenient method because it is flexible to rotate the site if there is a water source for the necessary treatment.
2. Precautions
It is important to take some protective measures to reduce the risk associated with concrete cutting dust. This includes wearing a mask and wearing safety glasses. Choose a suitable mask specially designed to protect against concrete dust. Mask filters will clog after some time and should be replaced regularly. Other workers on the construction site must also wear masks.
It is very important to use the right glasses to protect your eyes while cutting. Failure to wear these glasses may cause eye irritation or permanent damage.
Other safety measures for workers include good quality headgear, proper hearing and foot protection.