What dust really does to your lungs....

The world is full of dust. No big deal, right?

Wrong. According to many well know sources, prolonged exposure to dust can have adverse effects on your lungs, respiratory system, and your health.

Our lungs are always exposed to hazards from dusts that we breathe  in our environment.
​But our lungs also serve double duty by removing particles from our respiratory system. But with excessive amounts of dust, the lungs have issues and diseases occur.  However, our lungs have some help, our noses serve as effective filters that stop larger particles from entering our lungs. 

What is dust defined as really?  Dusts are small solid particles that are either scattered or floating in the air.  They can be defined as "organic" or "inorganic".  "Inorganic" dusts are composed of rocks, soils, metals or minerals. This includes silica, asbestos or coal.   "Organic" dusts can come from chemicals like pesticides and dyes. Nasty dusts indeed!

How do lungs react to these dusts? The largest reactions to dusts happen in the deepest parts of this organ.  If the lungs experience prolonged exposure to high levels of dusts, the dust can collect in lung tissue, and cause injury.  The amounts of dusts and types of particles can influence this injury, commonly called fibrosis.

How can you protect your lungs from dust? 

As Benjamin Franklin wisely stated-  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”    Great wisdom, even for our day.
To combat against dangerous dusts, the Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety website (http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/lungs_dust.html) recommends:
"

• enclosure of dust-producing processes under negative air pressure (slight vacuum compared to the air pressure outside the enclosure)
• exhausting air containing dust through a collection system before emission to the atmosphere
• use of vacuums instead of brooms
• good housekeeping
• efficient storage and transport
• controlled disposal of dangerous wastes
• use of wet processes                                   "

In line with this information, for most individuals in urban centres like condominiums and town homes, this information applies to areas directly around their homes, like parking lots and parkades. 

Important action items to consider in combatting harmful dusts is a regular schedule for parkade and parking lot cleaning. Recommended are two complete sweep and scrub cleanings for parkade areas in Northern climate areas like Calgary.
This addresses the removal and disposal of dangerous dirt and debris with an industrial power sweeping machine  to an offsite disposal location. This also include the recommended "wet process" with a thorough power washing and power scrubbing with an industrial power scrubbing machine.

In fact, a regular and complete parkade cleaning program checks off all the items listed on the OCCHS checklist for safe practices.

These measures will make sure that your health is not compromised when dealing with the threat of dangerous dust particles floating in your environment.

This article is taken from the government of Canada's (canadian centre of occupational health and safety) website. For more information, please visit: 
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/lungs_dust.html