The client
Advanced Precast manufactures and delivers quality precast concrete elements to the building industry. Established in Melbourne in 1982, the company has grown over more than four decades to become one of Australia’s market leaders in precast concrete within the building sector. The company’s NSW operation is a large precast cement plant serving the construction industry across the state.
The challenge
Advanced Precast approached ASC seeking a recommendation on how to sweep clean their precast cement plant while complying with new regulatory requirements regarding the management of silica dust during sweeping operations. Silica dust compliance has become an increasingly significant and carefully regulated area of workplace health and safety in Australia, with Safe Work Australia implementing stricter exposure standards and controls for workplaces where silica containing materials are handled or processed.
For a precast concrete plant, silica dust is an inherent by-product of the production process. The challenge was finding a sweeping solution that could clean the large plant effectively while capturing silica dust to the standard required under the new compliance framework, rather than displacing it back into the workplace air during cleaning.
ASC’s Scott Campbell assessed the requirements and recommended the heavy duty ASC M3 sweeper, specified with both an M class dust filter delivering 99% dust capture efficiency and a water suppression system. This combination was recommended as the best solution the sweeper industry has to offer for silica dust compliant floor cleaning in a precast concrete environment.
The result
Following a successful onsite demonstration, Advanced Precast had no hesitation in placing an order with Scott Campbell. The ASC M3 sweeper was placed into service at the NSW site immediately, keeping the large precast plant clean and dust compliant from day one.
The M class dust filter at 99% efficiency combined with the water suppression system ensures that silica dust is captured at source during the sweeping pass rather than becoming airborne, supporting Advanced Precast’s compliance obligations under Australian silica dust management requirements.
