Objective: In real-world applications, implementation of an enclosure and negative pressurization is not always adequate to prevent the dispersion of dust from renovation sites. This study aimed to quantify the effect of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) in controlling the dust concentration within an enclosed renovation site to reduce the dust dispersion into adjacent areas.
Methods: The concentrations of inhalable and respirable dust were measured in 16 cases during renovation projects. Filter samples and time-resolved dust concentration data were collected simultaneously from the renovation site and adjacent areas to assess the efficacy of LEV in limiting the dust dispersion.
Results: The dispersion of dust outside of the enclosed renovation sites was limited significantly with using LEV. The estimated dust removal efficiency of LEV was 79% for inhalable dust concentration in the renovation site and 62% in the adjacent area. The use of LEV reduced the concentration of respirable dust by 33‒90% in the adjacent area and 80-87% within the renovation site.
Conclusions: Using LEV was found to play a substantial role in dust containment, particularly when the enclosure failed to maintain the negative pressure. The study provides data-driven recommendations that are of practical importance as they promote healthier workplaces and policy improvements. In conclusion, dust dispersion into adjacent areas is prevented with an airtight enclosure (including airlocks) and continuous negative pressure. Dust containment was also obtained by having target dust concentration at the enclosed renovation site to below 4 mg m-3 for inhalable dust and below 1 mg m-3 for respirable dust, even though the enclosures not being continuously under negative pressure. The suggested target concentrations are achievable by using on-tool LEV during the most dust-producing tasks.
Keywords: construction; dust control; enclosure; local exhaust ventilation; negative pressure; renovation.
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.