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Dust Classes Explained

zz Knowledge Centre > Dust Extraction > Dust Classes Explained

Dust Classes Explained

Why is dust hazardous?

Tradespeople or people who work at construction sites often produce a high volume of dust while working. Some of this dust contains extremely hazardous substances, meaning that incorrect extraction can lead to small quantities being inhaled and this may cause illnesses. For example, irritation and other diseases may be caused when working in dusty conditions:

Asthma
Bronchitis
Lung cancer
Bronchial cancer
Mouth and throat cancer
Skin cancer
Nasal mucous membrane cancer

In particular, fine dust is too small to be filtered through the nasal hairs or mucous membranes and can therefore quickly enter the lungs, potentially causing severe damage. Silica and asbestos dust are particularly dangerous and considered to be carcinogenic. However, in the long term, wood dust may also lead to nasal cancer. You should therefore take extreme care to avoid inhaling high volumes of dust over a short period of time and use the appropriate precautionary measures for dust-free work.

What classes of dust are there?

Dust that is generated is divided into three classes. These indicate a dust extractor's suitability for any given dust and the specified maximum allowable concentrations (MAC). And they define the corresponding filter system's required degree of filtration. It is important to choose the dust class of your mobile dust extractor according to the material you work with.

Dust Class L

Hazardous dust with limit values3) > 1 mg/m3

Dust in dust class L is considered to be "slightly" hazardous.
Dust class L therefore includes simple and harmless dust, e.g. household dust, soil, lime, paint and varnish.
Moreover, a maximum extraction permeability of 1% applies to all dust in this class with a maximum occupational exposure limit of more than 1 mg/m³. This is because the lower the occupational exposure limit value, the more harmful the dust.

See our full range of Class L mobile dust extractors

Dust Class M

Hazardous dust with limit values3) > 0.1 mg/m3

Dust in class M is referred to as "moderately" hazardous and includes wood, concrete, cement, screed, copper and borax.

For all wood dust and dust originating from repair compound, filler and clear coats, plaster, cement, concrete, tile cement and paints such as latex and oil-based paints or quartziferous materials such as sand and pebbles.

This class is used for dust with an occupational exposure limit value of more than 0.1 mg/m³.

The permeability of the extractor should be 0.1% in order to enable dust-free work.

See our full range of Class M mobile dust extractors

Dust Class H

Hazardous dust with limit values3) ≤ 0.1 mg/m3

Dust class H comprises "highly" hazardous dust, such as germs, bacteria, asbestos, viruses, mould, cadmium, formaldehyde, potassium dichromate and carcinogens.
This class applies to all dust with a maximum occupational exposure value lower than or equal to 0.1 mg/m³ and a maximum extraction permeability of 0.005%.

See our full range of Class H mobile dust extractors

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