If your shop doesn’t have a dust collection system, it needs one. These pieces of equipment may seem like they’re for the sole purpose of keeping a facility tidy, but they play a much, much more important role. They save lives. Here’s how..

Breathing Some Types of Dust Are Incredibly Dangerous For Your Employees. Breathing in dust is never good for you, but there are some types of dust that are simply down right dangerous to breathe in, which is why down draft tables are such vital pieces of equipment. If your shop does any sort of grinding, welding, or cutting, you could be exposing workers to a dangerous substance called silica. This can cause a disease called silicosis, which kills hundreds of workers each year, and disables hundreds more.

The Dust Might Even Explode. Dust can explode, believe it or not, making combustible dust collection systems an impossibly valuable asset. According to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, there were 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005, which killed 119 people, and injured 718. Between 2009 and 2013, there were 57 combustible dust incidents incidents that killed 26 people, and injured another 129. In

If you care about your employees, you should invest in industrial dust collection systems. These systems will improve the air quality of the facilities, ensuring that employees can not only breathe easier, but that they also won’t develop any harrowing medical conditions. What’s more, these vital pieces of equipment will also make sure that there are no accidental explosions, which will not only save your crew’s lives, but also save your facility.

If you have any questions about dust collection systems, or the important, potentially life saving roles that they play in an industrial facility, feel free to share in the comments.