One does not need to be one of the lead investigators for OSHA to have an understanding of the importance of proper air filtration within a shop or business. The negative health effects of spending any significant time in an environment with poor air quality can be felt in both the short and the long term. Luckily, most businesses and individuals who work in these dangerous environments do take notice and take steps to ensure that proper safety measures are followed. However, unfortunately, there are still many who do not – whether it is due to ignorance, laziness, incompetence or another reason.

Breathing in dust and pollutants can do serious damage to the body’s respiratory system. The effects can range from minor irritations of the nasal cavity to blockages of the air passage (trachea) to incurable lung cancers that will prove to be fatal. Extended exposure to dust or other harmful particles can lead to lung fibrosis. Lung fibrosis is a condition in which excess fibrous tissue builds up due to exposure to a harmful substance. This excess tissue becomes cancerous and will eventually build scar tissue over the lungs causing them to lose their elasticity and fail to function properly. Examples of these cancers would be asbestosis (caused by exposure to asbestos), silicosis (exposure to silica, silicates), and pneumoconiosis (which can be caused by exposure to coal and its powder).

The terrible thing is that these diseases are preventable most of the time. They are all caused by extended (most of the time) inhalation of harmful particles. In the 21st century, we should be able to eradicate the majority of these issues. Even if death is not the end result, quality of life can be severely diminished. Who wants to live the last decade of their existence hauling around an oxygen tank or taking an hour to recover from just traveling up a flight of stairs?

There are multiple steps that individuals and companies can take to prevent some of these diseases. From an individual perspective, the single best step they can take is to wear a mask when spending time in an environment that contains harmful materials that might be breathed in. Something as simple as a $2 dust mask available at any local grocery store can go a long way towards saving a person years of pain and anguish with a terminal disease. From a company standpoint, there are multiple steps that should be taken to maintain the health of their employees. First, any shop or location that features large amounts of harmful dust should be equipped with a dust collector to keep levels at a safer level. These will filter large floating particles out of the air that are most likely to do the greatest amount of damage. Companies should also take measures to make sure that their employees take care of themselves. As unbelievable as it is, many employees will willingly put themselves at risk for not good reason. Taking measures to ensure that they protect themselves will prove to be beneficial to all parties.

Author Bio: By Felix Chesterfield III
For information on what employees are entitled to, visit OSHA.
For examples of dust collectors to improve air quality.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Clean air, process equipment, cancer