DUS/Specific/TBT-DUS-010

Dust Monitoring and Exposure Assessment

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Dust Monitoring and Exposure Assessment

Toolbox Talk Record

Ref: TBT-DUS-010  |  Issue: 1  |  Date: March 2026
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What?

  • Dust monitoring measures the concentration of airborne particles in the breathing zone of workers.
  • Personal sampling pumps worn by the worker collect dust on a filter for laboratory analysis.
  • Results are compared against workplace exposure limits (WELs) set by HSE for different dust types.
  • The WEL for respirable crystalline silica is 0.1 mg/m3, one of the strictest limits in construction.
  • The general inhalable dust WEL is 10 mg/m3 and the respirable dust WEL is 4 mg/m3.
  • Monitoring confirms whether existing dust controls are adequate or need to be improved.
  • Real-time dust monitors give instant readings and can trigger alarms when levels spike.
  • COSHH 2002 requires employers to monitor exposure where there is doubt about the adequacy of controls.
  • Monitoring results must be recorded and kept for at least 40 years for substances causing occupational disease.
  • Boundary monitoring measures dust at the site perimeter to assess impact on neighbours and the public.

Why?

Confirm control adequacyMonitoring is the only way to know whether dust controls are actually reducing exposure to safe levels.
Legal requirementCOSHH 2002 requires exposure monitoring where doubt exists about control effectiveness, especially for silica dust.
Long-term recordsMonitoring records kept for 40 years provide evidence of exposure levels if occupational disease claims arise later.
Do Don't
  • Wear the personal sampling pump correctly in your breathing zone during monitoring.
  • Continue your normal work activities during sampling so results reflect real exposure.
  • Compare monitoring results against the relevant workplace exposure limits.
  • Record all monitoring results with date, location, task, and controls in place.
  • Use real-time monitors to identify peak dust exposure periods during the shift.
  • Improve dust controls immediately if monitoring shows exposure exceeds the WEL.
  • Keep personal exposure records for at least 40 years as required by COSHH.
  • Monitor at the site boundary to confirm dust is not affecting neighbouring properties.
  • Brief workers on the purpose of monitoring and share the results with them.
  • Repeat monitoring after any change in process, equipment, or control measures.
  • DON'T remove or reposition the sampling pump during the monitoring period.
  • DON'T change your work practices during monitoring to get a better result.
  • DON'T ignore monitoring results that exceed workplace exposure limits.
  • DON'T assume controls are adequate without monitoring to confirm it.
  • DON'T destroy monitoring records; they must be kept for at least 40 years.
  • DON'T rely on visual assessment of dust to judge whether exposure is safe.
  • DON'T delay improving controls if monitoring shows the WEL is being exceeded.
  • DON'T forget to monitor after changing tasks, equipment, or control measures.
  • DON'T keep monitoring results from workers; they have a right to see them.
  • DON'T treat monitoring as a one-off exercise; regular checks are necessary.

See also: Construction Dust Awareness | Health Surveillance for Dust Exposure
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