The clouds of dust and microscopic particles contractors once
generated sawing, sweeping, cutting, and operating other power
tools are fast disappearing. Growing awareness about their
dangers, new EPA regulations, and evolution of accessories and
tools that control dust are main reasons why. Among these
products are vacuums, shrouds, respirators, and dedicated
control systems that have become as prominent in the workplace
as the tools that generate the dust and the operators and
bystanders they protect. “Not so long ago, collecting dust on
the jobsite was never on anyone’s mind,” relates North American
Sales Director for CDC LaRue Industries Stewart Meeh. “Dust was
just part of the job when grinding, sanding, sawing, or cutting.
Then, studies conducted by both private and government entities
indicated that dust wasn’t only bad for one’s health, depending
on the dust, it could be very harmful.” The new information, he
points out, resulted in 2010 EPA regulations governing the
removal of lead paint, and soon to