Part 3: Control Indoor Silica Dust with Air Cleaners, Dust Barriers and the Right Accessories

A recently published study shows that sites with better natural or mechanical ventilation showed lower accumulations of fine particles and respirable silica, highlighting the importance of ventilation as a control measure. This guide will highlight the ways to control the dangerous silica dust indoors.

Even if you use local exhaust and a good construction vacuum cleaner, there will always be dust that:

• ends up in the air
• is stirred up when you walk and work
• is spread between rooms and zones
• affects other professional groups nearby

That’s why many workplaces feel that “we have a vacuum cleaner – but it still makes dust”. The truth is that silica dust requires more than one machine. It requires a complete solution. Take control of the silica dust today!

Air cleaners are particularly important for:

• indoor grinding and cutting
• demolition and chipping
• renovation in schools, hospitals, offices and premises with activities
• confined spaces with limited ventilation
• projects where several teams work simultaneously

Here, the air cleaner helps to reduce the amount of suspended particles in the air over time. A 2025 study linked to indoor construction environments also highlights the importance of control, as exposure is still a problem when working with materials such as concrete, brick and stone.

Negative pressure: preventing spread between zones

In sensitive projects, spread is often the biggest challenge. With the right equipment and setup, you can create:

• a clear work zone
• dust barriers with plastic walls/zip walls
• controlled air flow
• negative pressure in the work areas

This keeps the dust where it is created – instead of spreading it throughout the building.
It also reduces the need for post-cleaning and damage to adjacent surfaces.

Accessories that control where silica dust ends up

Accessories may seem like “small details”, but they are often crucial to the result.
Examples of accessories that make a big impact in everyday life:

• tight tool adapters and couplings
• measure the level of dangerous particles in the air
• hose with the right dimension (to maintain air flow)
• brush/rubber nozzles that seal tightly against the floor
• nozzles adapted for concrete dust and coarse material
• durable connections that do not leak

Dust management is often about eliminating small leaks that otherwise cause dust to spread continuously.

• Vacuum the dust directly at the source
• Ensure the right construction dust extractor for the load
• Use tight connections and the right accessories
• Air cleaners for indoors projects
• Use a particle meter to
• Delimit and create zones in sensitive environments
• Ensure that routines work in everyday life

Follow up on the results – dust management is a process, not a one-off measure

Quartz dust is one of the most dangerous types of dust in the construction environment. But it is also a problem that can be controlled.

Anyone who combines:

• source extraction
• the right construction dust extractor
• air cleaner
• dust barriers / negative pressure
• the right accessories and routines

…will have a workplace that is safer, more efficient and more professional.

Contact us and we will help you put together the right solution based on your tasks and your work environment. How do you work with dust management during indoor demolition? Want to know more about our solutions?: https://dustcontrol.com/product-category/construction/demolition-specialist/

Title: Characterization of dust and crystalline silica exposure during indoor demolition
Journal: Annals of Work Exposures and Health, Volume 69, Issue 6, 2025.
Authors: Johanne Ø. Halvorsen, Pål Graff, Elin Lovise Folven Gjengedal & Torunn Kringlen Ervik