Industrial vacuum cleaners for silica dust
Is silica dust harmfull? Yes, it is. Crystalline silica dust represents a significant health threat in certain workplaces, because it is a carcinogenic and mutagenic agent that can cause serious respiratory issues such as silicosis or various lung diseases. This is why it is crucial to take effective preventive measures to ensure safe working conditions for people exposed to silica dust.
Where is silica dust found and where does it come from?
The work activities that involve the release of crystalline silica dust are many and cover a variety of sectors, including:
- Building and construction: demolition, cutting, sanding, drilling, milling, and sandblasting of materials containing silica (cement, concrete, stone, bricks, ceramics, etc.).
- Floor grinding: a process that makes the floor smooth, uniform and shiny. If the floor is composed of materials containing silica, such as cement or ceramic tiles, crystalline silica dust is generated.
- Mining and stone processing: crushing, grinding, screening, and transporting siliceous rocks (granite, slate, quartz, etc.)
- Foundries: use of silica sand for the molds into which the molten metal is cast
- Glass production: use of silica sand as raw material
- Cement production: use of a mixture containing silica for clinker production
- Pharmaceutical sector: amorphous silica is used in the production of dental pastes
- Textile sector: denim sandblasting operations
European regulations on silica dust
Europe recently adopted Directive 2017/2398, which included crystalline-free silica dust among carcinogens and mutagens, recognizing its dangerousness and the need for specific preventive treatment. The indications of the directive are:
- Replace silica, if technically possible, with a substance or process that is less harmful to workers’ health
- Minimize the level of worker exposure by using closed systems or localized extraction
- Limit workers’ exposure to silica dust to no more than 0.1 mg/m3, 8 hours per day.
- Carrying out risk assessment, worker training and information, health surveillance, and reporting cases of occupational disease
Industrial Vacuums for Silica Dust
Regulations identify the use of industrial vacuum cleaners as one of the safest and most effective solutions in preventing risks from crystalline silica dust. The industrial vacuum cleaners employed must include certain key features that make them suitable for crystalline-free silica dust applications:
- Multi-level HEPA filtration: Industrial vacuum cleaners equip multi-level filtration systems by including a HEPA filter as an additional filter element to ensure maximum filter and vacuum cleaner life and guarantee maximum operator safety. HEPA filters capture ultra-fine particles (with an efficiency of 99,995% on 0,18 micron particles), ensuring effective removal of crystalline silica dust from the air.
- Longopac collecting systems: continuous roll system with an adjustable length of 20 meters. Thanks to this innovative system, direct contact with fine dust can be avoided, guaranteeing maximum safety for the operator.
- Power and Flow Rate: Vacuum cleaners must have the power and flow rate required to capture dust effectively, leaving no dispersible residue and ensuring a safe working environment.
Our range of fine dust extractors
Depureco offers an entire range of industrial vacuums dedicated to the extraction of fine and harmful dust such as free crystalline silica. The range of vacuum cleaners for surface treatment is specially designed to be used on construction sites and to be transported in vans. Our industrial vacuums for silica dusts include HEPA filters and Longopac endless bag collection system.
We also offer the installation of dust extractors which collect the material right at the source, to minimize dispersion in the working environment and guarantee the protection of the operators.
Our solutions for Silica Dust
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM XM 20 Jet Clean®
2,6 kW
35,000 cm2
20 Lt
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM XM 35 FLOOR PREPARATION LP
2.6 kW
35.000 cm2
Longopac Lt
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM XM 35 Jet Clean® LP
2,6 kW
35,000 cm2
longopac Lt
Industrial vacuum M100 JetClean® LP
3.9 kW
35,000 cm2
Longopac Lt
Industrial Vacuum M100 LP TAN
3.9 kW
24,000 cm2
Longopac Lt
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM M 100 JetClean® LP
3,9 kW
35,000 cm2
Longopac Lt
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM M 65/100 JetClean®
3,9 kW
35,000 cm2
65/100 Lt
INDUSTRIAL VACUUM M 100 LP
3,9 kW
24,000 cm2
Longopac
Industrial vacuum cleaners for crystalline silica dust are essential to ensure a safe and compliant working environment. Contact us to find out which vacuum solution suits best your working environment.
