Dust Mitigation Techniques For Construction Sites and Haul Roads

No one wants to hear from the EPA, OSHA or even the junior soccer team down the street that you aren’t handling your site’s dust correctly.

Dust mitigation isn’t the sexiest site service, but it’s a must on construction sites and haul roads.

Dust isn’t just a nuisance, it’s also a health and environmental concern that needs to be properly managed. And it’s up to you and your service provider to make sure it’s properly taken care of — or you could face large fines to the tune of thousands a day.

Here’s a look at how and why to incorporate dust mitigation techniques during construction.

How Dust Can Be Dangerous

You might think of dust as just a combination of dirt and wind. But there are so many other materials that can be picked up in the dust depending on the location.

Construction sites, haul roads and mined land nearby can have negative effects if you don’t follow the right dust mitigation techniques.

Dust from a construction site can contain materials like these:

  • Heavy metals
  • Silica
  • Asbestos
  • Bacteria
  • Pollen

Do you really want people on your property breathing that stuff in? Short-term exposure to dust can lead to respiratory problems and even allergic reactions, and those can both result in liability issues. The longer someone is in dusty conditions, the bigger effect it will have on them.

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Beyond health concerns, dust can also contribute to air pollution if not properly managed. And it’s your responsibility to ensure your site is environmentally conscious and friendly — and that you aren’t spreading dust to other properties.

Dust Mitigation Techniques To Use During Construction

Any time you have construction work happening on your property, it’s going to stir things up — dust in particular. To keep from breathing it in or negatively affecting the environment, you need to take steps to mitigate the dust.

Here are some ways to better control dust on your site:

  • Cover bare soil - grass or mulch areas that don’t receive vehicle traffic.
  • Use a water truck or temporary irrigation to keep haul roads damp
  • Apply dust-retarding products
  • Spread gravel or mulch to better contain fine soil particles
  • Create natural or artificial wind breaks
  • Restrict earthmoving tasks during extremely windy conditions.
  • Apply temporary seeding.
  • Phase site clearing activities to only clear areas you’re about to work on.
  • Lower your travel speeds on unpaved areas. Just dropping your speed from 45 to 35 mph can reduce dust emissions up to 22 percent.

We’ve had great success with effective products like calcium or magnesium chloride, along with polymer emulsions such as Midwest Industrial Supply’s Soil-Sement.

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Hire A Landscape Contractor With Environmental Services

Reduce the amount of dust on your site by bringing in a professional who offers environmental services. These service might not be as attractive as other site construction enhancements, but they are a must to ensure site sustainability, preservation and staying up to code.

At T. Lake, we offer environmental services like dust mitigation, erosion control, feral hog control, waste water pond maintenance, wildlife control, upland mitigation and heavy brush management. We also provide maintenance, design and construction, completing our full-service offerings.

Hire a commercial landscaping company that thinks about and handles every aspect of your property — from dust mitigation to enhancing your landscape.

You can reach us in Macon at 478-750-7733, East Dublin at 478-272-3878 or by filling out a quick form online before you start your construction work.

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Topics: Landscape Construction