User:JamesLhistorian/Occupational dust exposure

Lead
Occupational dust exposure occurs when small particles are generated at the workplace through the disturbance/agitation of rock/mineral, dry grain, timber, fiber, or other material. When these small particles become suspended in the air, they can pose a risk to the health of those who breath in the contaminated air.

There are many dust-producing activities across a broad range of industries, including agriculture, construction, forestry, and mining. As such, the nature of occupational dust exposures can vary greatly by chemical composition, size, concentration, and toxicity to humans. Depending on the source, dust composition can include mineral dusts, crystals, heavy metals, allergic sensitizers, chemical dusts, molds, spores, and more. Particles generated at workplaces can range in size from microscopic nano-particles (< 0.1 μm) to large, visible dust (50 - 100μm). The concentration of these exposures are affected by their ability to "become airborne depending on their origin, physical characteristics and ambient conditions." (textbook, 4o)

Important factors like chemical composition, size, and concentration in the air can have drastic effects on the toxicity of occupational dust exposures. Health effects of exposed worker can range from temporary irritation, to chronic disease, to terminal disease or death. However, these responses can be limited or prevented through proper safety precautions and occupational hygiene. While there is huge variety of dust types and sizes (and their associated diseases), principles of safety and occupational hygiene can be applied to address many (textbook, 4o)

In occupational settings, extremely small dust particles are sometimes referred to as particulates, or particulate matter when referring to certain sizes of particles in the ranges of 10 um, 2.5um, 0.1 um, etc. Suspended dust in the air can also be referred to as an "aerosol" or "particulate aerosol", though "aerosol" is a broad term that encompasses dust along with other suspended solids/liquids such as fumes or mists. (text, 1n)

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Occupations
********** Add a few "common dust exposures" to each occupation that exists.

Health, safety, and epidemiology[edit]
Exposure to occupational dusts poses many hazards to workers' health and safety. Large, airborne dust particles can obscure vision, limit mobility while on the ground, and interfere with proper machine/equipment functioning. Characteristics of dust particles such as size and chemical qualities can determine the location and effects of the dust particles on the respiratory system. occupational lung diseases.

Lung diseases[edit]
Illnesses/Diseases that can develop due to exposure to dust in the workplace.


 * Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
 * Occupational Asthma
 * COPD (Bronchitis, Emphysema)
 * Pneumoconiosis (Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis, Asbestosis, Silicosis)
 * Mycobacterial Infections

Controlling Dust [edit]
Workplace facilities have in place safety protocol and regulations to ensure that exposure to dust/particulate matter is minimal to non-existent. To control an airborne dust, the workplace must first monitor the air for exposures. Typically, concentration of air contaminants is measured and compared to set exposure limits. In the United States, these often follow personal exposure limits (PEL) set by OSHA, or threshold limit values (TLV) set by ACGIH. The two most common ways of measuring airborne contaminants are through personal sampling or area sampling. Personal sampling involves using a device to measure the air near a person's breathing zone, usually done through air pumps that are placed directly on a worker and gather sample air near the worker's face. These are preferable to area samples, which only measure the air in a fixed location, since personal samples better approximate the actual concentration inhaled by a worker. (Black textbook, white textbook, )

Once the airborne contaminants have been identified and measured, workplaces should implement controls based on the hierarchy of controls. This may include eliminating a dust generating agent, or simply replacing a highly toxic agent with a safer one. Engineering controls such as wet methods, dust collectors, and improved HVAC systems can also be highly protective. Administrative measures such as shift rotations can also help reduce personal exposures to acceptable levels. Lastly, PPE can be an effective method of helping individual workers avoid inhaling harmful aerosols.