| Reducing exposure to dust |
DESCRIPTION
An in-house team involving the operators of the rumbler plant at AI’s concrete products works and the safety adviser wanted to reduce the respirable dust levels created by the plant. Tests had shown that the levels of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) were above 0.1mg/m3 WEL; Holcim had set an internal standard of 0.05 mg/m3 WEL. The team reviewed all aspects of the rumbler operation identifying sources of dust and then implemented a number of low cost solutions which included
• Filling holes in walls using expanding foam
• Creating wooden covers with rubber seals to isolate the rumbler from the working area
• Extending the dust extraction hood to make it more effective
• Fitting an automatic spray to the waste conveyor suppressing dust when blocks ejected
• Undertaking a deep clean to remove accumulated dust
• Improving accessibility to the dust collection trays ensuring that they are regularly emptied
• Purchasing a vacuum cleaner to minimise dust generation during daily cleaning
• Introducing disposable all in one suits used only for clean down process
BENEFITS
• Respirable dust levels reduced to an average of 0.027 mg/m3
• No requirement to wear respiratory protection during production
• The solutions implemented were low cost and effective
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