The blue-collar workforce is the backbone of working America, working in a variety of industrial-level jobs. Such workers are often exposed to hazardous materials and conditions, making industrial dust collection systems a must-have for any business. Dust and other contaminants can be siphoned out of the air, giving employees a safe and healthy work environment. Here are several reasons why industrial dust collection systems are crucial to America’s work force.

Industrial Damage
Chemicals and contaminants can build up to devastating effect if work areas are not properly ventilated. Between 1980 and 2005 there were 281 combustible dust incidents that claimed the lives of 119 workers and injured 718 more, not to mention extensively damaging the facilities; between 2009 and 2013 alone 26 people were killed in 57 of those combustible dust accidents. A call to action was finally made in 2014 by the US Chemical Safety Board in response to a 2010 West Virginia explosion that killed three workers. New regulations require facilities to be fitted with equipment such as an aluminum dust collector or fume extraction system to prevent such disasters.

Employee Health and Safety
Good companies ought to place their employee’s health as the highest priority. Facilities lacking industrial dust collection systems put their workers at higher risk for diseases such as acute silicosis, a disease that results from continued exposure to silica found in rocks and cement. Silicosis can occur after only weeks of exposure to crystalline silica such as that found in granite which contains 70% more silica than most material. Silicosis claims the lives of hundreds of workers and disables hundreds more each year. Poor ventilation systems put human lives at risk.

Proper Ventilation Systems
Companies have a variety of options in place to decrease the amount of airborne contaminates. Depending on the type and amount of contaminants in a facility, a business may settle on either a low-vacuum or high-vacuum system. Additionally, a down draft table also helps to reduce the amount of airborne contaminants in an employee’s work area. With a combination of down draft tables and industrial dust collection systems, businesses can continue to thrive knowing that their employees can live long, healthy lives.