Are Dust Collectors Just for the Stone Industry?

For years now, we have been providing suitable and effective dust collection systems. These systems provide a way for professionals to reduce exposure to harmful particles that can prove harmful to those working in specific environments. In this article we will take a look at some of the industries in which dust collection systems, dust extraction booths, and dust containment systems are effectively used to remove harmful dust particles from the work environment. As we do, we will consider what the risk is, what the requirements are, and what you can do to protect your workspace. *

Why Collecting Dust Is Important

Collecting dust might not seem like a big necessity for some professionals. However, There are a number of professions that benefit from dust removal. Booth style systems are a very practical way to reduce grinding wheel dust exposure for many professional stone workers. But the same is true for other industries as well. Let's look at some other professionas that benefit from dust collection systems and the reasons why that is the case.

Custom Built Furniture Professionals

The first profession that we will consider in our discussion of uses for dust collectors in different industries is furniture construction. In particular, custom made furniture businesses can generate a lot of dust; and from many different kinds of material as well. Let's consider one material that generates dust by furniture craftsmen, metal dust.

You might be thinking to yourself, "can breathing metal dust hurt you?" If so, you might want to give some thought to the following statement made by the Lung Health Institue on its website.

Those exposed to metal dust may be at a higher risk of developing chronic lung conditions. Prolonged exposure to metal dust like steel, iron and cobalt can result in lung conditions such as siderosis and black lung.

As you can see from the statement above, inhaling metal dust can ultimately harm you even though you may not feel it hurting you.

How Metal Dust Exposure Occurs

The processes associated with various tasks when working with metal generates metal dust. For example grinding, sanding, and cutting certain materials generates metal dust.

When the dust builds up in the work area and is breathed in by either the craftsman or others walking through or working in the area, they can breathe in dust from the work being done. For this reason, many professionals take steps to reduce or eliminate dust exposure. Here is a list of just some of the metal grinding dust hazards to be aware of:

• Siderosis (other names include; welder's lung, silver polisher's lung)
• Black Lung (also referred to as coal worker’s pneumoconiosis)

The reason for these metal grinding dust hazards is that metal and other materials produce dust particles when they are worked. Some of the harmful materials in metal dust include:

• Iron
• Lead
• Mercury
• Arsenic
• Nickel
• Tin
• Cadmium
• Antimony

Controlling Metal Dust While Crafting Furniture

As you can see, controlling metal dust during the construction of furniture made form metal, can be beneficial. Craftsmen find that setting up a collection booth for metal dust reduces the amount of respirable particles that get breathed in. Additionally, it makes metal dust disposal easier too since the dust that is collected is stored in a easy to empty drawer.

As we have seen, custom made furniture professionals have the potential for generating metal dust and benefit from utilizing a dust removal booth. But that is not the only non-stone related industry that benefits from dust collection.

Composite Dust in the Aerospace Industry

It can be an easy one to overlook. That is, unless you work in the industry. If your profession is in the aerospace industry or a related field, you already know that there are processes that generate dust from working with composites. For example, notice the services section of this page from Precision Aero Services. Working with metal and composites during the repair services no doubt will generate some dust. It's only one example, but an example nonetheless.

Notice the following quote from an article published by CompositesWorld.com.

As every manufacturer of carbon-fiber composite structures knows, one of the most nettlesome aspects of the production process is that machining, drilling and sanding of carbon fiber composites produces fine dust. It can build up on and short out computers, control panels and servomotors. In the air, it can be inhaled and threaten human health. Further, the accumulation of any dust in a manufacturing facility can be problematic from the regulatory perspective.

As that article so clearly stated. The lack of composite dust extraction can cause all sorts of problems. And not only in one particular aspect either. computers, machines, and even the workers' health can be affected. Composite dust hazards for professionals working in the industry are problematic from so many perspectives. The use of one or more dry dust collection booth systems can reduce these problems.

Solutions to Composite Dust

Mitigating composite dust is something that anyone working with composites should give thought to. The dust collector that we mentioned earlier (TEC715) can be helpful for removing composite dust from the work environment. Or, a dry dust collector with arm serves to extract composite dust from a specific loclaized area in which work is taking place.

Dust Collection Solutions for Various Industries

Composite dust collection systems and custom furniture construction are just a couple of the specific industries in which our equipment can be used. Sanding dust booths too are used in industries where other specific materials are fashioned into products including:

• Cast Stone
• Fiberglass
• Plastics
• Wood

Dust Collection Related Tasks

Although we have only talked thus far about custom furniture and aerospace composites and how they are related to respirable dust generation, there are other tasks and professions that benefit from dust removal techniques and equipment. Some of these include:

• Welding
• Glass Shops
• Metalworking
• Sandblasting
• Precast Stone
• Food Processing
• Concrete Shaping
• Surface Preparation
• Rubber Manufacturing

These only represent a few of the many tasks in various professions where respirable particulate materials are generated. But as we have seen, many projects produce a lot of dust. And there are many harmful materials that exist in dust particles of many types. Having a dust mitigation process and utilizing dust collection yields benefits in many industies. By putting a dust collection system to work in your operation you'll be showing that you value not only your equipment, but also your professionals.