Many industries like pharmaceutical, chemical processing, metal, food and agriculture, and woodworking may compromise their employees because of the air they breathe daily. The chance for them to inhale dirt, debris, dust, glasses, and chemicals is high. Employees would be busy working, unaware that these types of materials are floating around in their workplace. This can cause major health issues. Because of this, companies nowadays invest in Camfil dust collector systems to remove these contaminants from the air, to provide employees with cleaner air.
If you’re thinking about choosing a dust collector for your company, you need to understand what you’re up against to get the best results and understand the need for scheduled dust control Brisbane services after purchase. Dust particles vary in every workplace, so you need to learn more about these contaminants first before you decide to invest in Camfil dust collector systems.
Camfil Dust Collector: What are the hazardous types of dust?
Not all dust particles are the same. Some of them are more harmful than others. Excessively exposing your employees to some types of dust can lead to the development of major health problems. Such health problems include asthma, or worse, lung cancer. This can mean that your employees are experiencing life-changing illnesses. To prevent these, you can find the types of hazardous dust:
- Employees can get in contact with asbestos if they work in any building established before the year 2000. These are factories, houses, schools, offices, etc. Asbestos is so dangerous that it can cause 5000 deaths every year. Materials which contain asbestos can be damaged or disturbed, and when this happens, they release into the air. If your employees inhale these contaminants, they can catch serious diseases.
The scary part is that these diseases do not affect them immediately and take more time to develop. Once your employees are diagnosed, it’s usually too late for them to do anything. This is the reason why you should protect them as early as now.
- Grain dust comes from the harvesting and drying, handling, storing, and processing of oats, wheat, barley, rye or maize. It includes any additives or contaminants within the dust such as endotoxin, bacteria, fungal spores, insect debris, insects, and pesticide residues.
If you expose your employees to this type of contaminant, then you should be aware that you’re exposing them to major health risks concerning their respiratory system. Respiratory disease is a major health risk to employees who work in environments with this type of contaminant. For example, the number of occupational asthma incidents is more than the average case nationwide.
If your employees already have a respiratory disease, then they’re at risk at developing permanent problems with breathing. They may eventually become disabled and unable to work. This doesn’t only affect them as workers, but your company could be impaired, losing them in the company. This will have wider implications for you and the grain industry as a whole.
- Flour dust and enzymes that contain additives (like amylase) are the second most common reason for occupational asthma. But it doesn’t end there, as they also cause dermatitis. This dust is present in bakeries, kitchens, and flour mills.
- Silica (dust from sand, rocks, bricks, clay, concrete). Silica is present in many rocks, sand, and other construction materials. Drilling these materials can product silica, which may cause employees to get a lung disease (silicosis) if they breathe very small particles into their lungs. Silicosis is an incurable disease which may lead to disability and death.
- Wood dust can also cause serious health problems to your employees when they inhale it. Your employees may get asthma, too. Did you know that carpenters and joiners are four times more likely to get asthma and other health problems? If your employees inhale hardwood dust, then they will most likely have cancer, particularly on the nose. If they inhale settled dust, then they are most likely to damage their lungs because it contains very fine particles.
Camfil Dust Collector: How Can Dust Harm Your Employees?
We are all aware that inhaling dust is just one of the ways dust can affect your employees’ health. To help you understand more about this, here’s a brief explanation on how dust can be dangerous.
- Inhaling dust into the lungs. Breathing dust can create problems in breathing. It can take many years to develop these kinds of problem. Inhalable dust is visible to our naked eye and may consist of heavier or larger particles that can stick in the mouth, nose, and throat. Respirable dust is fine enough for you to see. Employees may face serious health damage if it gets stuck in their upper respiratory tract. Because it is invisible to the naked eye, it is enough to get into the lungs and cause more harm.
- Eye contact with dust. Grinding, drilling, and cutting of materials can produce dust particles. These particles, when they get in contact with your employees’ eyes, can cause irritation or even eye damage. Some dust particles may also cause harm to the eyes if they have chemical nature
- Swallowing dust. Some dust particles may be stuck in the mucus which lines the respiratory tract. Usually, employees may choose to spit or swallow this mucus. However, if they inhale dust particles that get into their digestive tract, this can cause local effects like gastrointestinal tract infection. They can also enter your employees’ bloodstream, where they produce effects in other tissues and organs.
- Skin contact with dust. Other dust particles may cause skin irritation and ulceration when they get in contact with your skin. Your employees experience irritation due to rubber processing chemicals, epoxy resins, fiberglass, and wood dust. The worst part is that this irritation can lead to dermatitis, which causes more discomfort to your employees.
Because of these dangers, you need to protect your employees, not just for them, but also for the sake of your company. You can do that by investing in Camfil dust collector systems. Find out how you can benefit from a dust collector by reading more.
The Importance of Camfil Dust Collector
Dust collectors offer a lot of benefits and advantages to businesses. They provide positive results to different aspects of your company’s operations which include the following:
- It improves health and safety. As discussed earlier, the lungs of the employees who breathe air (filled with dirt, dust, chemicals, gasses, or debris) will be in jeopardy. But that’s not all. These contaminants, when they collect on or near any work equipment, can pose a fire hazard. But with the help of a dust collector, you’re able to get rid of these contaminants from the air. This means that the air is cleaner and is safe for everyone to breathe.
- It improves product quality. There are different kinds of contaminants in the air. They can collect on the products during the manufacturing process. Gasses and chemicals may seep into these products, which cause them to have a foul smell. These can affect the quality of your company’s finished product. If you invest in dust collectors, you can reduce the contaminants in the air, and you can keep them away from your finished products. Thus, you can improve the quality of your products and increase customer satisfaction.
- It increases employee productivity. Dust particles, dirt, and debris can interfere with the mechanics, especially if they collect on your work equipment. This can result in broken equipment or slower machines. Once your machinery is compromised, it’ll need more attention and constant repairs. Using dust collectors can remove this risk and allow your machinery to work at optimal performance. Thus, your employees’ productivity will not be affected.
- It helps you meet compliance regulations. There are so many laws and regulations in place to promote workplace safety. Some of these laws focus on the environment and the quality of the air. If your company has poor air quality, then you should expect to pay the price for this penalty – for fines and for jeopardizing your employees’ health.
This regulation ensures that companies don’t create potential hazards that may destroy the factories. Using a dust collector can help you make sure that your company is compliant with government laws and regulations. It also gives you peace of mind that you’re keeping everyone safe inside the building.
- It creates happier employees. Imagine how your employees would feel if you over-expose them to an environment with bad air quality. They will only end up suffering, and this suffering leads to unhappiness. If they become too unhappy, they might look for another job elsewhere.
Unsatisfied employees don’t work effectively, and high employee turnover can cost a fortune. Using a dust collector in your company will keep the air clean and improve your employees’ morale. This will allow you to retain happy employees in the workplace.
Your employees are a vital part of your organization, so you should make sure you take care of them at work. If you still don’t have a Camfil dust collector, now is your time to invest in one. Protect your employees from dust and other air contaminants, and they’ll deliver good results.