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The air you breathe in when working on a construction site can contain dust.
As a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), you have a duty to keep yourself, your workers and your workplace safe from dusts.
Implementing the right control measures can eliminate or manage your exposure to dusts and protect your lungs.
Some of the ways you can manage the risks are:
- substituting dusty products for granular or liquid formulations
- ensuring adequate ventilation; and use controls to minimise the amount of dust in the air - such as on-tool dust extraction, local exhaust ventilation, or wet-cutting methods
- using machinery or vehicles that have an enclosed cabin, and
- using appropriate personal protective equipment, including respiratory protective equipment.
Workplace exposure standards may apply to dusts generated from some products. Please see the chemicals page for more information.
See Part 3.2, Division 7 of the Model WHS Regulations for more information.
For more information
- Occupational lung diseases in Australia 2006 – 2019 - Report
- Occupational Lung Disease – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Information Sheet
- Occupational Lung Disease – Q fever Information Sheet
- How to manage the risks of occupational lung diseases at work - Video
- Safe Work Australia webpage - Occupational lung diseases
- Safe Work Australia webpage - Crystalline silica and silicosis
- The interactive safe work method statement (SWMS) tool provides information on preparing, using and reviewing SWMS for high risk construction work.
