Silica dust is an ever-present danger on Australian construction sites. It’s generated when concrete or stone is cut, ground, crushed or drilled, and is also found in cement dust. Exposure to silica dust can potentially lead to silicosis, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer.
Under the latest SafeWork Australia standards, workers must not be exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica exceeding 0.05 mg/m3 over an eight-hour day, and a five-day week.
This makes dust suppression crucial to maintaining compliance and protecting workers when they are carrying out a range of tasks, including:
But implementing the right dust suppression system is not always straightforward. Workers need practical solutions that can be used across different applications on site.
Dixon’s dust suppression solution was developed in partnership with Blackwoods, who identified the need for a safer approach to managing silica dust on-site.
In 2020-21, Blackwoods worked alongside Dixon, an established innovator in the hose coupling industry, to create a solution that allowed workers on construction sites to use jackhammers coupled with dust suppression hoses to help control silica dust exposure.
The result is a hose assembly solution that delivers effective dust suppression by controlling airborne dust at the point of generation.
The hose is attached to the jackhammer. Water is delivered into an angled nozzle, creating a misting spray to help suppress the dust being generated before it becomes airborne, and potentially entering a workers’ eyes or nose.
One hose can operate to a 20-metre distance, which can be extended by connecting multiple hoses, depending on the work zone and location of the water source.
The water flows at a rate of 0.8L per minute, and the worker is easily able to open and close the valve to control flow.
The hose assembly includes:
The nozzles come in two sizes, depending on the volume of dust being generated. Select low flow for lower volume, and medium flow when more dust is being thrown up by larger tools.
The hose can be easily moved around sites as workers go from job to job. Dust suppression systems should be used in conjunction with appropriate PPE and workplace safety procedures.
Designed for the construction industry, the Dixon hose assembly solution delivers ease of use across cutting, drilling and demolition applications. It is built to withstand harsh construction environments, for long-term reliability.
The hose assembly solution offers:
Peter Larsen, Business Development Manager for Dixon Asia Pacific, says workers should also wear a mask when using dust suppression systems, as an extra safety precaution.
“Without proper training and awareness, and with complacency becoming a factor, construction workers face unnecessary daily risks, especially in the use of PPE and dust suppression products.” he says. “However, with the right safety measures in place, these risks can be reduced. Dixon products are proven in the market and supported by years of expertise, along with reliable customer service.”
As Australia’s leading supplier of industrial solutions, Blackwoods has everything you need to keep your operations running smoothly. Talk to your Blackwoods technical safety specialist to find the right Dixon dust suppression solution for your application and help reduce silica exposure.