Dust-Free Explained

When fine silica dust is released into the air and inhaled, it can pose severe risks to your health. These microscopic particles—much smaller than a grain of sand—are often invisible and can enter your respiratory system without you realising it. Extended exposure to respirable crystalline silica has been linked to life-threatening illnesses such as lung cancer, silicosis (a condition that causes hardening and scarring of the lung tissue), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disorders. In fact, it’s estimated that hundreds of Australians are diagnosed with lung cancer every year due to previous exposure to silica in the workplace.

Once these particles are lodged in the lungs, they cause inflammation and irreversible scarring, limiting the lungs’ capacity to absorb oxygen. This lung damage, known as silicosis, is progressive, incurable, and in many cases, fatal. For this reason, we are committed to providing dust-controlled concrete grinding and floor removal services that actively minimise these risks.

Reducing Risk With Dust-Free Grinding
Concrete dust is a natural by-product of surface preparation activities like sawing, grinding, and drilling. These operations release fine silica particles into the air, which can easily be inhaled. If proper safety protocols aren’t in place, workers and anyone nearby may suffer long-term health effects. To address this, we prioritise dust suppression methods on every job to ensure a safer, cleaner environment.

What Exactly Is In Concrete Dust?
Concrete is made up of various minerals, one of which is silicon—an element that is second only to oxygen in terms of abundance on Earth. Found in materials like rock, soil, sand, and cement, silicon is released in the form of silica dust when concrete is cut, broken, ground, or drilled. This dust, technically known as respirable crystalline silica, is the hazardous airborne material that poses such significant health risks.

The Harmful Impact Of Inhaled Silica Dust
Silica dust is dangerous because of its small size and persistence in the body. When inhaled, it bypasses the body’s natural filtration system and becomes embedded in lung tissue. The immune system attempts to remove these foreign particles, which triggers inflammation and leads to scar formation over time. This scarring can result in reduced lung function, breathing difficulties, and even death in extreme or long-term cases.

Strategies To Minimise Silica Dust Exposure
To control the production of airborne silica during concrete work, several effective methods can be implemented. These measures aim to either eliminate dust at its source or protect workers from inhalation exposure.

Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)
Wearing suitable respiratory gear is a key first line of defence. Approved dust masks or respirators should be used alongside engineering controls such as dust extraction or wet-cutting systems. Respirators should meet national safety standards and be fitted properly to ensure maximum protection.

Class P1 particulate filters are used against mechanically generated particulates e.g. silica and wood dust.
Class P2 particulate filters are used for protection against mechanically and thermally generated particulates.

Dust Extraction Systems
Using a high-powered M-Class vacuum in combination with power tools is one of the most effective ways to reduce airborne dust. These extraction units are designed to remove dust directly at the point of generation—whether that’s during cutting, grinding, or drilling. The dust is then safely captured in a sealed collection unit, minimising the chance of secondary contamination during disposal.

Wet Cutting and Grinding (Water Suppression)
Water suppression is another highly effective method of dust control. By applying water directly to the cutting or grinding area, airborne dust is significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. A constant water supply must be maintained throughout the operation to keep the surface damp and suppress dust effectively. Proper drainage and containment systems should also be in place to manage water runoff and concrete slurry.

Our Dust-Free Commitment
At Flooring And Grinding, we take every precaution to reduce exposure to hazardous silica dust. Our processes incorporate advanced filtration systems, water control methods, and appropriate safety gear to deliver a cleaner, healthier work environment. Whether we’re removing floors, grinding concrete, or prepping surfaces, you can count on us to maintain safety standards that protect everyone on site.

By adopting a proactive approach to dust management, we not only safeguard health but also maintain full compliance with Australian workplace health and safety regulations. Protecting lives is just as important to us as delivering quality workmanship—and that’s why dust-free solutions are built into everything we do.

Understanding The Limitations Of Dust-Free Floor Removal?

Completely stripping a flooring system inevitably generates a significant amount of dust and is harder to contain. Although our advanced dust control equipment dramatically reduces airborne particles—by approximately 90% to 99.99% — a completely dust-free result isn’t always possible. We use a combination of the DustMaster DM-2680-M HEPA Dust Extractor and the Hilti TE DRS-B Dust Removal System, which integrates seamlessly with our Hilti TE-2000 AVR Demolition Hammers on every job. Despite this high-performance setup, a minimal amount of dust can still escape into the environment.

To eliminate adhesive residues—such as tile glue, magnesite remnants, epoxy coatings, waterproof membranes, or stencil concrete—from the slab, we employ industrial-grade concrete grinders. These grinders are directly connected to the same high-powered HEPA dust extraction system to reduce dust during the removal process.

While removing dense materials like ceramic tiles or magnesite, some dust is unavoidably released. Even with direct vacuum extraction via our jackhammers, there is typically a minor dust escape rate ranging from 0.1% to 10%, depending on the flooring system being removed.

Understanding the Limitations of Dust-Free Concrete Grinding

Concrete grinding naturally produces large volumes of fine dust. That’s why at Flooring And Grinding, we use premium-grade dust control systems, including the DustMaster DM-2680-M HEPA Dust Extractor, paired with our high-performance concrete grinders and Hilti DG 150 hand grinders.

This setup allows us to offer an exceptionally clean and efficient grinding experience—removing up to 99.99% of dust during the process. It’s ideal for removing thin-set adhesives, tile grout, dried paint, glue, cement film, magnesite, epoxy layers, waterproof membranes, stencil coatings, stamped concrete, spraycrete, and other bonded materials.

While our system significantly minimises dust, it’s important to acknowledge that in high-friction, high-speed grinding scenarios, a small amount of fine dust may still be released into the surrounding area.

Dustmaster® series dust extractors have been specially designed to handle the demands of the concrete grinding industry which has high-loading fine dust.

This is the H-Class(often referred to as HEPA) Dust extractor that is certified to handle hazardous dust. These amazing dust collectors have been certified to capture up to 99.99% of the dust.

Dust extraction in our industry is often more important than the actual grinding itself. Without it, we could breathe fine dust which could be detrimental to our health.

– Featuring dual 10A motors, maximum performance is ensured. The longopac bagging system makes handling and disposal of hazardous dust much easier.

– Performance is maintained by the rotary filter cleaning mechanism which automatically cleans the filter during operation.

– This machine has a single durable toggle switch for each motor.

– A deep clean is achieved while running whilst the motor is turned off. The rotary filter cleaning can be turned off when the DustMaster is not in use, using the rotary switch on the front panel.

– H-Class (H13) dust extractors must pass the 0.3µm DOP test that certifies they capture no less than 99.99% of the dust.

– The rotary filter cleaning system is very effective and takes only 10-20 seconds to deep clean the filter. You may never have to remove the filter to clean it again, keeping your job and your hands cleaner!

– You won’t find a better piece of equipment to handle your job, this is the most high-end piece of equipment that we can use for your job. The next level up would require a 15A power supply which would require you to supply us with a generator on-site as residential power only has 10A.