Do It Yourself Safely Without Dust
DIY shops sell many products that contain crystalline silica (e.g. bricks, cement, ceramics, mortar and tiles). Unlike industrial workers, many consumers are unaware that regular inhalation of dust containing crystalline silica over many years can lead to lung diseases.
Even though the current state of knowledge indicates that consumers/citizens are not exposed to dust during DIY activities for long enough or at high enough levels to cause diseases, IMA-Europe believes it is always good practice to avoid breathing dust in general, and consumers can achieve this though very simple measures.
Therefore, taking a proactive approach, a task force of IMA-Europe air quality experts has developed a list of good practices for reducing dust during common DIY activities. The list is available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish on a dedicated website that provides general dust prevention advice alongside visual good practices sheets, with a list of dos and don’ts for common DIY activities such as cutting, drilling, and sawing.
We hope this very concise guidance, which raw materials producers have drawn up, will help DIY stores better inform their customers.
