Is Concrete Dust Harmful?

Concrete dust can be very harmful. Even the slightest amount of exposure can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. Prolonged exposure can lead to lung cancer and other respiratory problems. 

It is for these reasons that it is essential to protect saw machine operators from this harmful situation. PPE or Personal Protection Equipment is an absolute must. Safety first before concrete cutting

Hazardous Materials in Concrete Dust (Wet and Dry)

Crystalline Silica – harmful to human skin and has the potential to cause lung cancer. Recent studies show prolonged exposure to crystalline silica is connected to lung cancer and other respiratory problems.

Alkaline Compounds like Calcium Oxide – corrosive to human tissues and can cause minor to severe health issues.

Chromium – even the smallest trace amount can cause severe allergies.

Harmful Effects of Concrete Dust

Eyes – can cause minor irritation up to severe and permanent damage. All trace compounds found in cement dust can get into the eyes and cause damage to the eye tissues.

Respiratory System – when inhaled through the mouth and nose, concrete dust can cause an allergic reaction, irritation of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs. 

Prolonged exposure can lead to lung cancer and other respiratory diseases like silicosis. Silicosis happens when silica particles scar your lungs. Silicosis is irreversible and incurable.

Skin – concrete dust can cause allergies, skin irritation, and other skin problems. This can range from mild and moderate skin issues through to more severe issues like:

  • Skin irritation
  • Rashes
  • Cracking of the skin
  • Skin ulcers
  • Thickening of the skin
  • Chemical burns

It is important to avoid the harmful effects of concrete dust. First, you should always opt for wet sawing where possible. It does not completely eliminate dust but it reduces dust production significantly. 

For personal protection, these are the following steps one can follow to be safe:

Personal Protection

  • Use alkali-resistant gloves. This will not just protect you from cement dust, it will also be your first defence from any sawing accidents.
  • Use coveralls with long sleeves and full-length trousers to keep the dust away from your skin. Make sure that your sleeves are pulled down over the gloves and the trousers are tucked inside your boots. Use duct tape over them to make sure that dust and mortar do not go inside.
  • Use water-proof, high-cut boots.
  • Use proper respiratory protective equipment like a P, N, or R 95 respirator. Dust is unavoidable but inhalation can be avoided.
  • Use proper goggles and do not use contact lenses.

Work Conditions

  • When cutting concrete, cut wet instead of dry where possible. This will help to minimise dust production.
  • Mix dry cement in open areas or well-ventilated areas.
  • Use different sizes of cement blocks whey laying concrete to avoid or at least minimise cutting or hammering to make them fit.
  • Work upwind from the dust sources. Avoid the dust as much as possible.
  • Do not wear any accessories like watches, rings, and necklaces, because dust can accumulate on and around them.
  • Avoid mixing cement on site. Use a ready-mixed concrete as much as possible.

Training

Australian National Code of Practice requires sufficient training for individuals handling cement. They must be educated in proper methods, safety, hazards, and controls.

First Aid

Skin contamination and eye irritation must be handled right away. Call for medical attention immediately.

While waiting, wash with running water right away. Avoid touching and self-medicating. Seek medical treatment right away.

Silica Exposure

Silica exposure is a serious problem. As mentioned earlier, this can lead to Silicosis. If you start to feel symptoms like cough or shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately.

Silicosis can occur only weeks after getting exposed to concrete dust or it can take years before signs and symptoms manifest. 

Here are the three types of Silicosis to watch out for:

  • Acute Silicosis – this is caused by exposure to high levels of crystalline silica. This can happen within months, even weeks of exposure, and can lead to death in extreme cases.
  • Accelerated Silicosis – this can occur in five to ten years after exposure. This is a result of high-level crystalline silica exposure.
  • Chronic Silicosis – this is the most common type of Silicosis. This is due to prolonged exposure to low levels of crystalline silica. This usually occurs after ten or more years of exposure.

Other Safety Measures

  • Shower right away if possible. Wash away all dirt and cement dust.
  • Use washable or disposable protective clothing.
  • Do not eat or take a break near the area you are working on. You will be exposed to dust and possible inhalation.
  • Have an annual medical checkup to monitor your health.
  • Stay educated with proper practices, health effects, and protective equipment.
  • Use dust control equipment like local exhaust ventilation or dust collectors.
  • Remove collected dust right away. Do not let the dust get airborne.
  • Check your dust controls regularly.

Concrete dust inhalation and contamination are dangerous. If you have projects that need concrete cutting, leave it to the professionals.

If you are looking for a specialist concrete cutting company who uses only the best practices to get the job done right, then please call us at Megasaw on 1300 920 419 or contact us through our website

How Does A Concrete Saw Really Work?

Do you need to use a concrete saw to cut a block of concrete? Are you curious as to how a concrete saw actually works? If so, please keep reading below.

Concrete saws have become some of the most essential construction tools in the industry today. They are quite efficient in cutting big and small concrete blocks.

Knowing how a concrete saw works will help you use it more productively to cut blocks or slabs of concrete.

There are many reasons to use a concrete saw when it comes to concrete sawing efficiently.

Whether you want to remove excess concrete material in your home or create a different look for a new patio, you need to use a concrete saw for the job.

Therefore, in this article, we will take a look at the following:

  • How Does A Concrete Saw Work?
  • Use The Best Concrete Saw For The Concrete Job
  • Select The Right Blade For The Project
  • Use Protective Gear At All Times

How Does A Concrete Saw Work?

A concrete saw is a power tool used for cutting hard construction materials such as concrete, masonry bricks, tile, and asphalt slabs.

The concrete saw uses diamond blades to cut through hard materials with ease. The saw can be powered by gasoline, pneumatic or hydraulic pressure or an electric motor.

Diamond blades are the best blades to use but they should be cooled when cutting hard materials like concrete because of the significant friction generated during the process.

This is important to prolong the life of the blade and reduce concrete dust when cutting the material. Wet and dry cutting are two popular methods of using a concrete saw to cut concrete blocks.

Wet cutting reduces the amount of concrete dust generated during the cutting process and helps prolong the lifespan of the diamond blade.

Use The Best Concrete Saw For The Concrete Job

There are a number of different types of concrete saws on the market today. You need to choose the best saw for the job at hand.

For example, a walk-behind saw is ideal for a large cutting project on the floor.

Walk-behind saws are the heaviest saws on the market today. They make the deepest cuts – which eliminate the requirement for several shallow cuts.

Walk-behind concrete saws use the wet cutting method to reduce the amount of dust during the cutting process. Water helps keep the blades cool and dust down during the process.

Select The Right Blade For The Project

Next, you need to make sure you choose the right blade for the concrete saw. Diamond blades are the most popular today due to their efficiency and long life.

The exposed diamond crystals of the blade do the cutting. When the exposed diamonds become dull, they will automatically fall away and new ones are exposed.

You can use a wet cutting blade with water and a dry cutting diamond blade without water.

Use Protective Gear At All Times

Cutting concrete is a highly specialised job that comes with a range of risks. It’s vital to use the right protective gear when cutting concrete.

You should be aware of the hazards posed when cutting concrete and use the right protective gear to protect yourself during the process.

For example, eye goggles should be used to help protect your eyes while cutting concrete.

As concrete cutting can be quite noisy, you also need to wear protective equipment for your ears during the cutting process.

Heavy-duty gloves and industrial boots should be used to help protect your hands and feet. Hard hats or helmets should be used to help protect your head during the process.

These are all important things to consider when cutting concrete using a concrete saw.

If you are looking for a specialist concrete cutting company who uses only the best practices to get the job done right, then please call us at Megasaw on 1300 920 419 or contact us through our website

Read This If you Are Considering Concrete Wet Cutting

Is it best to cut concrete using the wet or dry method? If you aren’t sure which method is best, please continue reading below.

When cutting concrete, it is possible to do so while using dry and wet cutting methods. While most have heard of the former, the latter is a much better choice.

Here are 6 pointers to keep in mind while using water to cut concrete.

1. Controlling Dust

In case you were unaware, harmful silica dust is released into the air when concrete is being cut.

While there is no way to eliminate this completely, you can significantly reduce the amount you are exposed to by using wet cutting methods.

There has been research conducted and it has shown that using water reduces dust by as much as 85%.

This means that it will have less opportunity to become airborne and settle on various surfaces or worse still, being inhaled.

2. Cooling Saw Blades

When you are sawing through concrete, it is common for the blades of the saw to become rather hot.

Not only can this have an effect on the precision of the cuts, but it can be dangerous to the person doing the cutting.

One of the main reasons for this is the fact that a blade that has become too hot has the possibility of breaking during the cutting process.

Flying blades can harm the one who is doing the cutting as well as anyone who is unfortunate enough to be in close range.

The way in which water helps with the precision of the cut is actually quite simple. When blades get overly hot, it is common for people to take frequent breaks to allow it to cool down.

As a result, they lose their rhythm and end up making cuts that are not consistent with others.

3. It Is Messy

One thing that cannot be disputed is the fact that wet cutting is far messier than its dry counterpart.

While you may not have to worry about all type of dust particles in the air, it will be necessary to prepare to clean a large mess once you are done with your cutting project.

In many cases, people use old fabric as a dropcloth when they are using wet cutting methods. This will make it much easier to clean up after yourself once the project is complete.

4. Experience Needed

If you are someone who does not have a great deal of experience, it may be in your best interest to hire a professional for this task.

While you can probably save a good amount of money by attempting this on your own, this is a huge risk that you should not be willing to take.

To be on the safe side, you should hire a professional to get the job done.

While you will have to pay for this service, it is a small price to pay in exchange for the fact that you will not be hurt while trying to handle a task that is beyond your capabilities.

5. Less Taxing

Wet saws are different from dry ones because they are not meant to be held in the hand while getting the job done.

This means that there is less stress and strain on the person who is doing all of the cutting.

If you are in a position where you are required to cut concrete for a large part of the day, this can make things more bearable.

Now that you know more about wet cutting, it is your responsibility to determine whether this is something that will help you when trying to cut concrete.

If so, then you need to consider all of these points if you want are interested in less mess, more safety and increased precision.

The best way to cut concrete indoors is to hire a professional concrete cutting service.

With dozens of concrete cutting services operating in Melbourne, choosing the right service for your project may not be easy.

There are many things to consider when choosing a reputable and experienced concrete cutting service.

If you are looking for a specialist concrete cutting company who uses only the best practices to get the job done right, then please call us at Megasaw on 1300 920 419 or contact us through our website