Concrete grinding can be a dangerous task; it exposes workers to lots of dust. The concrete dust produced contains crystalline silica, a toxic compound that is a major health risk when released into the air.

To help ensure the good health of your workers and everyone else within the work environment, the following points indicate some of the health risks that exposure to concrete dust can cause and useful suggestions on how to combat them.

Chronic Respiratory Illnesses

Prolonged exposure to concrete dust or crystalline silica can result in chronic illnesses such as bronchitis, silicosis or lung cancer. These diseases can weaken a worker to the extent that he or she can no longer work. Worse still, it can have an adverse effect on workers' psychological health due to the trauma associated with chronic diseases. For instance, many lung cancer patients may be frustrated by the doctors' advice that they should not report back to work.

Respirators will help to provide safety from toxic crystalline silica particles that may cause respiratory diseases. However, you should consider the level of exposure when choosing the right type of respirator. For concrete grinding jobs, dust mask respirators often provide protection from dusts and mists.

Eye-Related Problems

Good eyesight allows your workers to operate concrete grinding equipment correctly because they can easily see what they are doing. However, the dust from concrete grinding can cloud the working space and cause eye irritation. In severe cases, equipment operators may develop partial or complete blindness due to eye infections.

To ensure that your workers do not acquire any eyesight-related complications, you should provide them with safety goggles or glasses. These safety devices will prevent harmful airborne particles such as crystalline silica from entering their eyes and should be used at all times.

Hearing Impairment

Factors such as vibration of equipment, site setup, worker activities, and grinding processes can cause a lot of noise at the workplace. Such exposure to noise may result in hearing problems, especially when using hand-held equipment.

To protect your workers from hearing problems, you need to choose the most appropriate hearing protection devices for them. For instance, ear muffs should be worn together with ear plugs in very noisy workplaces. Most importantly, these devices should fit properly.

Apart from providing concrete masons, pavers, finishers, and any other workers who perform concrete grinding activities with suitable safety gadgets, always remember to train them accordingly on how to use them. For more information, contact a business such as Ellcon.

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