Overview

Dust spread in factories and warehouses is a common problem that can lead to various issues, including product contamination, machinery damage, and health risks for employees. Dust can be generated by a huge range of common activities such as cutting, grinding, and the movement of vehicles, etc.

To maintain a clean and safe working environment, you may need to implement effective dust control measures. In this article, the team at Westgate Global draw on years of experience providing industrial partitions and screens, and distill this down into four highly effective strategies to reduce, contain, and control dust, giving you a handy summary of the best techniques.

Learn how our customers maintain efficiency, safety, and high-quality standards in their operations, and then learn what dust containment products and solutions Westgate Global can offer to assist with this.

What causes dust in industrial facilities?

Dust buildup and dust spread are common in large factories and warehouses due to the movement of products, vehicles, personnel, boxes, and the myriad of ongoing processes.

Dust in industrial facilities can be caused by:

• Material handling and processing; cutting, grinding and sanding tasks
• Sand, grit and dirt from outdoors
• Vehicle movements; dust generated from tyres, even the wearing away of tyres and brake pads and the abrasion and cracking of floors releasing particles like silica
• Particles from cardboard in boxes and the wood in crates and pallets often used in storage

Why prevent dust spread in factories and warehouses?

As dust accumulates and becomes airborne it can cause problems. Products or packaging can become dirty and contaminated, reducing the value of finished goods which could lead to rejections. In food or pharmaceutical manufacturing, it becomes a health and hygiene risk.

Dust can have a huge impact on machinery which can be detrimental to its efficiency, and can drive maintenance costs up, as well as downtime. 

We shouldn’t forget the effect dust can have on the health and well-being of employees either. Repeated dust inhalation can cause serious health issues such as lung disease, allergies and other respiratory difficulties. Dust buildup could even create slipping hazards and dusty surfaces can interfere with employees’ tasks.

Another considerable risk is dust explosions. Dust explosions can occur when certain particles are the right size and concentration, and become suspended in the air. Combustible dust can come from working with or storing materials that can become flammable with a source of ignition, including things like sugar, wood, coal, grain, rubber and some metals.  

That’s why many businesses take measures such as those detailed below to prevent dust.

4 effective ways to reduce, contain and control dust in factories and warehouses

1. Smart layouts and cleaning

By organising a factory or warehouse in a manner that reduces unnecessary movement of materials or vehicles, the buildup and spread of dust can be reduced. Conducting regular cleaning and inspections on dust levels as part of a regular maintenance routine will also help.

2. Water-based dust suppression – fogging systems

Fogging is also a way of protecting factories and warehouses for general dust control. A fogging system for dust control disperses fine water droplets into the air, creating a mist or fog that captures and suppresses airborne dust particles. The water droplets are similar in size to the dust particles, allowing them to collide and stick together, effectively removing dust from the air. 

3. Ventilation systems

Ventilation systems are often a method for businesses to reduce dust in the working environment. Systems called Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) use extractor fans to raise dust particles into ducting, hoods and filters, leading to collection bags where the dust can be removed for proper disposal.

4. Dust-tight process zones

Often factories and warehouses are operating multiple processes simultaneously, and some may be more dust-inducing than others. Dividing a facility into zones, creating machine surrounds, or distinct separate cleanrooms to segregate and surround the source of dust, keeps adjacent air quality high and surfaces dust-free.

Having dust contained in specific areas also reduces costs associated with cleaning and the use of ventilation and fogging systems, as a comparatively smaller area needs attention. A great way of doing this is by using an industrial fabric wall partition, like Flexiwall.

How Westgate Global can help with dust control

Westgate Global’s Flexiwall can contain dust, preventing it from spreading across large areas. Typically Flexiwall is used to segregate products or people from processes, meaning that dust is restricted to a controlled environment.

Flexiwall is quick, clean and non-disruptive to install, and it’s designed and installed to any height and width, suitable for tall and large industrial spaces. Due to the unique overlap system between panels and the tight fit around existing penetrations, Flexiwall for dust prevention offers 99%+ dust-tight seal. Also due to its clever design, a Flexiwall can easily be taken down and/or relocated, so if the areas needing dust containment change, Flexiwall can be adapted to suit, with minimal trace on the building, unlike traditional wall constructions.

Flexiwall partitions can also help to prevent unnecessary dust and debris entering from outdoors or adjacent areas by being used to create airlocks, in combination with fast action roller doors, or other Westgate Global access options such as the retractable industrial curtain, Flexicurtain, or PVC strip doors.

Flexiwall partitions can also help with temperature management, odour and tainting control and reducing cross-contamination risks.