Dust is increasingly recognised as a problem in stone processing, especially respirable crystalline silica (RCS), exposure to which is now legally limited in the UK to 0.1mg per cubic metre of air. That is still twice the level accepted in the USA but lower than throughout most of Europe (although Europe looks likely to follow Britain's lead on this and harmonise its exposure level at 0.1mg).

It is all very well wearing a mask when you are working, but you can still be exposed to RCS if it is on your clothes after you have removed the mask. Air Control Industries has a solution with its personal cleaning booths.

When a person who has been working in a high RCS atmosphere, such as a sandstone, granite or slate quarry or processing workshop, they can enter the booth before removing their mask and blow the dust off their clothes. There is cyclone system drawing air down through the booth and out through the floor to a collection unit.

And this was just one of the dust control products being shown by Air Control Industries on its stand at the Hillhead exhibition in Derbyshire at the end of June. It has been making the cabinets for six years and selling personal blow off systems for 15 years.