Tradies! This Could Save Your Life!

[@spider7219]

Well said, most people think it will not happen to me, but years later it comes back to bite you, I have seen it affect a lot of people's lives, dust extraction and protection is so important.

[@andrewhunt4532]

You're so right. Sometimes you see them not using it and the start to cough. That's why I said to them. Hoover up, don't sweep up unbelievable.

[@its]

It's definitely a tough thing to get across as the negative impacts are rarely straight away, so people think it's not affecting them, but it will!

[@moomastico]

Mad stat is that recently the number of deaths from exposure to dusts and substances on the day of 9/11 is now double that of casualties which occurred on the day.

[@HondoTrailside]

One thing is that there are a lot of super hobbyists these days. People with day jobs who live to work wood, and often have more tools than pros. These people rightly imagine that the danger stats can come from places like cedar saw mills where guys spent a lifetime, got throat cancer, and where the only extraction was a shovel. However, small home shops often have minimal air flow, and air volume. You can be at greater danger. On the other hand, a leading cause of throat cancers if you don't smoke for a living, is the human pamplona virus, so who knows. The way I look at it is that I do it to be comfortable. A lot of people are tough enough they don't use safety gear. I am tough enough I will put up the the headsets, etc... on a hot day. Choose your tough.

[@majl1000]

The worst dust is silica dust from cement , bricks, tiles, diesel fumes from all the plant on site, and the dust plant kicks up, none of them have dust suppression........ all far far worse than wood dust.....

[@HondoTrailside]

The stats are for silica dust, which is an entirely different animal. Still I agree with the premise. A few years back I was cutting some thin ply and it was bothering me. A lot of the economy ply, this was boat grade stuff, nice, but it comes form China, and god knows what is in the glue, I felt bad after the day's work. And cutting out parts for a boat is maybe 200 feet of cutting, not really a ton. So I dug out my racal helmet that I bought for wood turning, and it was night and day. Two good things about a helmet are that one can wear it, let it rip, then get a leaf blower and blow the dust outside. I have decent extractio, 3 way systm, at the tool, 4" area, box to clean the air, but it is simpler, and a lot of dust can still get into the shop, so the leaf blower is really effective at kicking it out. Second was the helmet was a lot of fun at the grocery during covid. Also, in the worksite shown, I would probably also set the tools outdoors if rain is not expected. Dust extraction is never 100%. The stuff that gets by is usually the worst stuff. Positive air pressure in a helmet is more effective than extraction as far as the lungs are concerned, and can also be effective for keeping finishes and glue vapours at bay. Hand tools can be fast at some things, and they can also leave you with chunks rather than dust.

[@its]

It is indeed, but on a building site it's not likely to just be wood that's being cut, hence why we think the stat is still relevant to the majority of sites! And we agree, you can never be sure what's in the materials that you're cutting; it's probably not best to find out when it's in your lungs!

[@andrewjennings9286]

silica dust is not wood dust /that 500 people dying is a scare tactic

[@its]

It's not in wood dust, but wood dust can cause all sorts of issues on its own. Also the general idea is that a building site will have all sorts of materials being cut at one point. If an extractor isn't used, you're putting everyone at risk of inhaling the harmful materials. Not sure what the HSE would have to gain by scaring people. Sometimes it's not a conspiracy, just a sad truth.