Dust isn’t as harmless as many people think it is. In fact, it could be damaging your health, your hardware and your company’s reputation.
If your workplace is dusty, it could be time to start looking into solutions to help reduce and control dust levels. From regularly cleaning your office to installing air purifiers, there are many ways in which you can do this. To help you better understand the threat that dust poses, here are 5 dangers of a dusty workplace explained in greater detail.
Risk or respiratory issues
Working in a dusty environment can increase the risk of developing various lung issues and breathing problems. Some of the different types of respiratory issues that can be caused by inhaling dust include:
- Pneumoconiosis: Any lung disease caused by breathing in too much dust.
- Baker’s asthma: A form of occupational asthma caused by breathing in flour dust that is common among bakers.
- Silicosis: A lung disease caused by breathing in silicon dust that is common among construction and factory workers.
- Mesothelioma: A form of lung cancer caused by breathing in asbestos – used to this day in many work environments.
- Black lung disease: A lung disease experienced by coal miners from breathing in coal dust.
Millions of people around the world are believed to have occupational lung diseases. Dust exposure is one of the most common causes of this. For many people, this can be debilitating later in life, sometimes leading to death.
Employees who develop respiratory health problems as a result of inhaling dust in the workplace are well within their right to file a personal injury lawsuit, which means you could end up paying out a lot of money. Your company could even be closed if the air quality is thought to be poor enough to cause harm.
Most workplaces can benefit from using an air purifier with a HEPA filter to help reduce dust levels in the air. More heavy duty aspiration systems may be required for workplaces that create a lot of dust like flour mills and factories. This can get rid of dust in the air, although dust that has settled will still need to be manually cleaned.
If you cannot control dust levels in your workplace, providing respirator masks is another solution. Concrete construction workers, carpenters, metalworkers and miners are all examples of workers that are advised to wear masks.
Allergy triggers
Dust can contain various allergens, which you or your employees or your customers may be allergic to. Some of the common allergens found in dust include:
- Dust mites: Almost all dust contains dust mites. This is a common allergy for many people.
- Mold spores: Mold can often spread by clinging on dust particles in the air.
- Pollen: Dust can also be made up of pollen spores, which can drift in from outside through windows or vents.
- Pet dander: Pet dander (hair from pets) is a less common contaminant in workplaces, but could be a risk if you allow employees or customers to bring in dogs.
While serious allergic reactions to these triggers are rare, allergies can still lead to poor productivity and have led to lawsuits in the past. Taking steps to reduce dust levels could help to prevent people in your workplace from experiencing allergic reactions.
Using an air purifier is one of the best ways to get rid of allergens in the air. You may also be able to reduce allergens such as mold and dust mites by using a dehumidifier – mold and dust mites tend to thrive in humid conditions and reducing moisture levels can help mitigate them.
Slip hazards
In workplaces where floors can get very dusty, there is also the risk of dust being a slip hazard. This could lead to employee or customer injuries that may result in a lawsuit. Examples of workplaces where this can become a problem include factories and workshops.
Daily cleaning of floors is encouraged in workplaces that get very dusty. Floor sweepers and industrial vacuums are both great tools for getting rid of thick layers of dust. Dust can be less of a slip hazard on carpets, however carpets are harder to clean and dust can be kicked up into the air every time someone walks over a carpet, so hard floors are encouraged in environments like factories and workshops.
Damage to computer hardware
High levels of dust in the air could also potentially cause damage to your computer hardware. Dust is known to clog vents and fans, which can then restrict airflow to inner components, causing them to overheat. This can lead to computers dying sooner than necessary.
To extend the life of your computers, it is worth taking a few dust control measures. In dusty work environments like factories, keeping your computers in a separate room or using a dust curtain as a barrier could be a simple option. Alternatively, you can look into specialist NEMA-rated enclosures for your computers that keep out dust while still allowing air in (this post delves more into NEMA enclosure ratings).
As a general rule, air purification is one of the best ways to protect machines from dust in the air. Offices with carpets should also consider raising their computers off the ground and regularly vacuuming carpets to prevent them harboring dust.
Reputation damage
Finally, a dusty workplace can create poor first impressions for visitors. While it may be more expected that certain workplaces like construction sites and workshops are dusty, most people do not expect to walk into an office or restaurant and see dust. Because such dust is typically due to a lack of cleaning, it can signify that you do not take pride in your workplace and that you run a disorderly company. It could become the source of complaints and bad reviews – all of which could damage your reputation and prevent you attracting new customers.
Every workplace can benefit from keeping on top of cleaning to limit dust and protect their company image. Focus your attention particularly on areas where customers can be found – workplaces like stores, restaurants and hotels may benefit from hiring professional cleaners to regularly keep on top of dusting, as any visible dust in these premises can be cause for complaints.
Conclusion
By exploring dust control measures, you can prevent respiratory health issues, reduce allergens, prevent slip injuries, extend the life of your computer hardware and protect the reputation of your workplace. Some of the best ways to control dust include regular cleaning and installing air purification systems. For work environments where dust is hard to control, consider solutions like respirator masks and industrial-rated enclosures for computers.
