Dammkontroll

Dammkontroll, also known as dust control, is a set of measures to prevent or reduce the generation, emission, and spread of airborne dust in workplaces and related environments. It is relevant in industries such as mining, construction, woodworking, cement, agriculture, and food processing, where handling, grinding, conveying, or drying materials can create dust. The aim is to protect workers’ health, improve air quality, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Control approaches fall into three categories: engineering controls (enclosures, local exhaust ventilation, dust extraction systems, water or mist suppression); process design (closed systems, material substitution, reduced-release equipment); and housekeeping (wet cleaning, HEPA-filtered vacuums, prompt dust removal). Administrative controls include safe procedures, training, scheduling, and zoning of high-dust tasks. Personal protective equipment—such as respirators—provides additional protection when other measures are insufficient.

Monitoring and regulation typically involve air sampling to measure inhalable and respirable dust fractions and comparing results with national or EU exposure limits. Regular maintenance of ventilation, dust collectors, and suppression systems is required. Compliance is enforced by occupational safety authorities and may be guided by industry standards.

Chronic exposure to dust can cause respiratory problems, reduced lung function, irritation of eyes and skin, and, for certain substances (for example crystalline silica or wood dust), more serious diseases. Effective dammkontroll reduces health risks, supports safe operation, and can lower productivity losses and environmental impact.