Air Quality Management
Some of the activities on your site can affect local air quality and also contribute to the bigger problems of urban air pollution. Air pollution can be caused by dust, fumes, gases or smoke coming from your activities or from products and equipment you use.
Dust
- Reduce wind-blown dust from your site. Dust can cause health problems for
workers and neighbours.
- Cover materials and stockpiles.
- Fit dust catchers to equipment.
- Place sweepings in a bag or cardboard box before putting it into a skip to prevent the dust from becoming airborne when the bin is emptied.
- Where you are excavating into rock, keep the surface moist to minimise dust.
- Put up dust screens around the edges of the site.
- Wear facemasks and respirators to protect your health when creating dust.
- If you are sanding or abrasive-blasting use low-dust-emitting abrasives.
- Consider wet, hydro or vacuum blasting as an alternative to dry blasting.
Oxy-acetylene welding
Weld in well ventilated areas, as the fumes can cause metal fume fever and severe headaches, particularly if the galvanising zinc has not been removed first.
Further information
- Your local council
- NSW WorkCover Authority, Tel: 131 050
- DECC Environment Line, Tel: 131 555
Page last updated: 27 February 2011
