Mastering Concrete Dust Management: Industrial Vacuum Solutions

Dust management when drilling, cutting, or grinding concrete is a critical step towards supporting a safe work environment. Airborne concrete dust is dangerous to all that is exposed to it. The first and most important precaution that should be taken is to capture dust as it is produced with an industrial vacuum.

Dust management reduces the amount of dust that becomes airborne. Concrete dust floating in the air is the most dangerous type. Once in the air, it can be easily inhaled. Industrial vacuums are much more than a fan drawing in dirty air, capturing the dust in a canister, and then expelling cleaner air.

Heath Issues with Concrete Dust

Inhaling excessive amount of construction dust should always be minimized as much as possible, but it's especially important to avoid getting cement dust in your lungs.

Both concrete and cement dust have silica. Silica, in dust form, is deadly. Silica dust is one of the biggest killers of construction workers, second to asbestos. Silica dust kills around 800 people every year in the UK. In the U.S., the number is much less. Our safety procedures are much stricter.

Concrete and mortar can have 25-70% silica so concentrations can be high. The higher the level of silica, the more at risk you are from silica-related lung disease.

The Basics of Dust Management

Dust extractors are used in conjunction with dust-generating tools, such as walk-behind or handheld concrete grinders, concrete saws, concrete drills, and shot blasters to ensure that the work area is kept as clean and safe as possible for yourself and others.

A dust extractor consists of three main components: a powerful vacuum source (fan), an airtight container, and a bagging system to capture the dust and debris once it is separated from the air. The vacuum source moves the air and debris from the floor into the airtight container. The airtight container is designed to capture and hold debris after the air has passed through one or more filters. The bagging system collects the debris for disposal. These can be a one-use bag or a continuous sleeve of bag material, such as DiamaPro® Infinity Bags (fit Longopac), providing the operator with an easy method of disposal.

Most dust extractors also come equipped with a multitude of filters that trap small particles before they have a chance to escape back into the atmosphere. This helps to ensure that the air in your workspace is clean and safe to breathe.

HEPA is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters capture microscopic particles, which might not be captured within a normal filter. This type of filter can theoretically remove 99.97% of dust and airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns or greater.

Choosing the Right Industrial Vacuum

There are four main dust collector types used to extract dust as it is generated and from the floor.

1. Cyclone Collector

• The most common type of dust extractor is the cyclone dust collector. It uses centrifugal force to separate the heavy dust particles from the air. The dust-laden air is drawn into the cyclone, where it is spun around at high speeds. The centrifugal force throws the heavier dust particles outwards toward the walls of the collector, where they drop into a sealed container or collection bag. The cleaner air is then blown out through the top of the cyclone back into the room.

2. Cartridge Collector

• The cartridge dust collector uses a series of filters to trap the dust particles. The air is drawn through the filters where dust particles are collected. The clean air then flows out through the exit port of the unit. A commercial air-scrubber will fall into this category.

3. Pulse Jet Dust Collector

• The pulse jet is the most cost-effective method for removing dust and dirt from the air. The pulse jet works by accelerating dirt and dust through a series of chambers and ducts. The dirt and dust are compressed and forced out of the final chamber, where it is caught by a filter.

4. Hybrid: Cyclone and Cartridge

• In the concrete surface preparation world where concrete dust is generated, the Hybrid Dust Collector is the most widely used. When the air and particles are drawn into the airtight canister, they are spun around at high speeds. Large particles then fall to the bottom of the canister. At that point, the air moves through the main filter capturing finer particles. When the air exits the sealed canister, it moves through a HEPA filter before entering the atmosphere. The HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air [filter]) captures 99.97% of all particles larger than 0.3 microns (µm). Niagara Machine sells varied sizes of HEPA vacs, and we definitely have one that will meet your needs.

Implementing a Dust Management Plan

Developing a Dust Management Plan that can be implemented on all grinding projects will be a benefit to you, your employees, and other workers present on the jobsite.

Example:

GENERAL DUST CONTROL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Scope:

• The Dust Control Management Plan applies to all concrete dust producing operations.

Ambient Dust Control:

• Elevated ambient dust levels can be a nuisance as well as potential environmental, safety, and health hazards. Dust handling, processing operations & transport have the potential to create dust. The use of a Dust Collector and air scrubberwill help in the aid of capturing concrete dust as it is produced.

Environment Management Plan Objectives:

• To take all reasonable and practical measures to prevent or minimize the generation of concrete dust from all grinders, saws, and drilling equipment.

Each construction area on the site needs to figure out:

• Sources of concrete dust.
• Their environmental impacts
• Control Measures
• Ensuring dust control measures are effective.

Management Practices:

• Dust generating areas open to forklift traffic are minimized preventing dust movement from one area to another where possible.
• Dust-laden areas are vacuumed and not swept producing airborne dust.
• Educating employees and contractors to raise awareness of dust management measures.
• Managing operations to minimize dust emissions during dust generative activities.

Action Plans for Dust Suppression:

• If strong ‘potentially dust generating’ winds are forecasted.
• The High Wind Day Protocol is activated and outlines steps to minimize the generation of concrete dust into the air.
• Regardless of the weather conditions during normal working hours (Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm) dust suppression in shared areas, notification of dust suppression requirements is to be directed through the site services supervisor.

Maintenance Tips for Industrial Vacuums

While dust extractors will require regular maintenance, such as purging and changing filters, they are quite simple to work on. The Dust Extractor manufacturer should have a printed maintenance schedule available. For example, DiamaPro Systems uses a QR Code sticker on the unit that can be scanned to obtain all types of information including maintenance.

Troubleshooting Issues

Suction Loss

• Needs to be purged – As the unit is used, dust will collect onto the main filter reducing suction. This is normal. The first thing to try is to purge the filter. DiamaPro Systems produces two types of dust collectors, self-purging, and manual purging. The self-purging model automatically shakes the filter, removing the impacted dust. The time interval can be set according to the amount of dust you will be extracting. The manual purge requires the operator to purge as needed. With the self-purging model, it should be manually purged multiple times each running day. This will enhance the extractors’ efficiency.

• Damp dust – These units are designed to pick up dry materials only. If damp or wet material is picked up, the filters will clog so no air can move through them. The remedies are to remove the filter and dry it out or replace the filter with a new one.

• Clogged Hose – There will be times when the material you are removing will compact into the hose. Debris can be large, with an irregular shape. When moving through the hose it may interlock together making it difficult to enter the canister. Keeping the hose as straight as possible when using it will help. Gradually picking up this type of debris will also minimize the clogging issue. Don’t force it, let the vac do its thing.

Tripping Circuit Breakers

• Most 110v Commercial Dust Extractors draw 20 amps of power. Most residential outlets produce 15 amps. This can be an issue. The wall outlet as well as the wiring are rated for 15 amps. Make sure there no other pieces of equipment are running on the same circuit as the vac. If it keeps tripping, a portable generator can be used to run the dust collector.

Vacuum plug will not fit into the wall receptacle.

• Being the vac should run on a 20-amp circuit, it comes with a 20-amp plug. It is a different configuration than a 15-amp receptacle. Although changing out the plug or using a 20-amp conversion pigtail is a possibility, it is NOT recommended. Running too much power through 15-amp wiring could cause too much heat and could start a fire. A portable generator should be used to run the vac at this point or find a 20-amp outlet.

Conclusion

Dust extractors play a key role in keeping work environments clean and safe. They are commonly used in factories, workshops, and other commercial settings where there is a risk of dust accumulation. If you’re serious about the health and safety of your workplace and ensuring long-term health, a dust extractor is a non-negotiable investment for your business.

Niagara Machine has an industrial vacuum for every job. If renting an extractor fits better into your budget, Sunbelt Rentals, our rental partner, has dust extractors available to rent throughout the country. By renting a dust collector, you can decide which one fits your needs best before buying. As always, if you have any questions about which dust extractor and other dust collection equipment best fits your needs, contact us with any questions!