As an owner of a construction or mining company, one of your top priorities is ensuring the health and safety of your workers. That is why you should facilitate regular occupational health checks and equipment testing to determine whether your people are fit for the job at hand and fully protected from the hazards that their work environment may bring. Apart from these, you should also have a particulate monitor system in place. In a way, this system allows you to determine the amount of particulate matter (PM) your site has and come up with informed decisions to manage the existing risks.
What Is a Diesel Particulate Monitor
Aside from dust, diesel fumes are also one of the risk factors that might compromise the health and safety of construction and mine workers. This is where the purpose of a diesel particulate monitor comes into the picture. This device is particularly designed to measure diesel particulate matter (DPM) for industrial safety investigations. Now, it has become an indispensable tool in Australia’s construction and mining industries.
How Does a Diesel Particulate Monitoring System Works
Using a combination of technology and software, a diesel monitoring system offers real-time measurement of DPM at your site and provides you with timely information that you can use to develop and deploy control measures to prevent your workers from being overexposed to harmful fumes your heavy equipment is producing.
It works by gathering DPM into a filter and preparing the data for analysis. Unlike the older methods measuring DPM, modern diesel monitoring systems can quickly produce results, which means that you will be able to identify risk factors in a short period of time and implement control interventions immediately.
Importance of Having a Diesel Particle Monitor at Your Site
If you are yet to use a diesel particle monitoring system and want to know the benefits you will get from it, then here they are.
Healthy Workers
Needless to say, the most important benefit of having such a system in place is that you will have a team of healthy workers. And, as most successful businesses have proven, healthy workers equates to a higher level of productivity.
As you look after your people, you can also expect an increase in the overall output of your operations.
Higher Level of Efficiency
One of the primary goals of using a diesel fume monitoring system, especially one that produces real-time results, is to make your building or mining operations more efficient. Using innovative technology, this system allows you to keep track of emissions simultaneously and implement control measures accordingly.
As a result, you can also get the lead out for your projects, accelerating your progress.
Regulatory Compliance
Using a DPM monitoring system that is up to the minute will make your company compliant with the guidelines set by the Australian government relevant to the occupational health and safety of construction workers and miners. It minimises the risk of your site being shut down due to having diesel emission levels that are over the specified limits.
Site Improvements
As you point out the risk factors identified by the system, you are also uncovering potential inadequacies that you can address to mitigate the risks and make your site a lot safer for your workers.
For instance, the over-exposure might be a result of a poorly installed ventilation system in your mine. Now, you can carry out the steps to fix such a system and make it more functional.
Assurance Against Non-Compliance Fees and Penalties
According to an official Queensland Government report on mine dust lung diseases, the number of cases that involved miners suffering from the condition due to long-term exposure to high concentrations of respirable dust and fumes generated from mining and construction activities has significantly increased from 2015 to 2021.
Not only does having a diesel management system prevent you from adding to these statistics, but it will also protect you from the hefty fees and penalties due to non-compliance.
Clean Reputation
As you make your workers feel that they are well looked after, you will also create a positive impression on them. As a result, they will be more confident about working for your company.
At the same time, ensuring that you have a safe and reliable working environment will send a good message to other people who might want to invest in your operations.
Conclusion
A particulate monitor is a device that you should have at your construction or mining site. Not only does it help ensure the health and safety of your workers, but it also mitigates the impact of your operations on the environment.
So, if you want to boost the morale of your employees and establish a good corporate image, you should not ignore using this technology for your operations.
For more tips and information that you can use in managing your company, feel free to check out the other articles on our site!
