Health topics - Dust

What you need to know

In paper and tissue making and processing activities there is the potential for workers to be exposed to paper and tissue dust.  Being regularly exposed to high levels of dust in a workplace can affect the respiratory system and cause your workers to become ill.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require that you protect workers from the harmful health effects of hazardous substances in the workplace, including the effects of dust.

What you need to do

Exposure limits

Paper and tissue dust is covered by the work exposure limit (WEL) specified for “dust of any kind”.  The WEL has been set at 10mg/m3 total inhalable dust or 4mg/m3 respirable dust and this should not be exceeded.  These are limits placed on the amount of dust in the air, averaged over an eight-hour working day. However, you must reduce exposure to dust to as low as ‘reasonably practicable’.

It is recognised that a large proportion of tissue dust is made up of cellulose this has a WEL set at 10mg/m3 total inhalable dust or 4mg/m3 respirable dust, the same level as ‘dust of any kind’.

Assessment

It is important that you assess dust levels in your workplace by doing a dust survey to identify:

• if your workplace has a dust issue
• individual workers likely exposure levels to dust
• which tasks may generate high levels of dust
• where controls may be needed to reduce exposure to an acceptable level

As part of the dust survey you may want to do static monitoring as well as personal monitoring to get a complete picture of dust levels within your workplace.

Control Measures

Once you have identified any dust exposure issues you then need to decide the best means of reducing dust.  Control measures can include:

• Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) – If designed and implemented properly LEV can provide a good means of reducing dust in the workplace.  If used, you should ensure it is checked every 14 months to ensure it is working as expected. 
  • More information relating to the design and use of LEV
• Water Showers – Some companies have used this method of reducing dust exposure and have found it to be more effective than LEV in some situations.
• General Dilution Ventilation – In some scenarios general dilution ventilation was sufficient to reduce exposure.
• Cleaning down and good housekeeping – Good housekeeping and cleaning regimes can be an important tool in reducing employees exposure.  For maximum effect it is better to carryout cleaning at the end the end of the shift rather than during it.  Vacuums, sprays and damp cleaning methods are the best to stop dust being pushed into the air.  Note: the use of compressed air lines is not recommended as this can increase exposure of those carrying out the cleaning and also those working nearby.

Further Information

For further information on this topic please see the links below:

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
• Respiratory Protective Equipment
• Lung diseases