Construction Dust and Silica Awareness
Silica, wood and cement dust — the health risks and the controls that actually work.
About this course
This awareness course explains why dust on construction sites is a serious health hazard and how it can be controlled. It is aimed at operatives, supervisors and anyone who cuts, grinds, drills or otherwise disturbs materials that create dust.
You will learn what the main types of construction dust are, the diseases they cause, what the law expects of employers and workers, and the practical controls used every day on site: water suppression, on-tool extraction, respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and good housekeeping.
The course runs entirely in your browser. You can stop at any point and pick up where you left off, and once you pass the final assessment you can download a PDF certificate straight away.
Who it's for
- Operatives cutting, drilling, grinding or chasing
- Groundworkers and demolition teams
- Supervisors selecting dust controls and RPE
- Anyone working near dusty processes
Snippets from the course
Two short extracts taken straight from the course material, so you know exactly what you're signing up for.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer
Long-term exposure to construction dust, including silica dust, is a recognised cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a group of lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema that cause increasing breathlessness.
Water suppression
Water suppression works by wetting the material being cut, drilled or broken so that dust particles bind to water droplets and fall to the ground instead of becoming airborne, or are captured before they are released into the air.
What's covered
Welcome and Introduction
- Welcome to Construction Dust and Silica Awareness
- Who this course is for
- Why dust matters
- How this course is structured
The Three Main Construction Dusts
- The three main types of construction dust
- Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS)
- Wood dust
- Lower toxicity dust
Health Effects and Surveillance
- Silicosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer
- Occupational asthma and dermatitis
- Why these diseases are preventable, not curable
The Law: COSHH and Exposure Limits
- COSHH 2002 - the legal framework
- The hierarchy of control under COSHH
- Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs)
- Risk assessment and monitoring
Controlling Dust at Source
- Designing out dust
- Water suppression
- On-tool extraction
- Choosing the right control for the task
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)
- When RPE is needed
- Types of RPE
- Assigned Protection Factors (APF)
- Face fit testing
Housekeeping, Cleaning and Welfare
- Why housekeeping matters for dust control
- Never dry sweep or use compressed air
- Segregating dusty work
- Waste management
Summary and Putting It Into Practice
- Recap: the three dust types and their health effects
- Recap: the law and the hierarchy of control
- Recap: RPE and housekeeping
- Putting it into practice on your site
Final assessment
A longer multiple-choice assessment covering every module. Score 80% or more and your PDF certificate is issued immediately. You can retake it as many times as you need.
Start Construction Dust and Silica Awareness now
8 modules, a test after each one and a final assessment — all in your browser, all saved as you go.
You'll be asked to sign in or create a free account first, then pay £29.99 (includes VAT at 20%) to unlock the course. Your progress and certificate are saved to your account.