If you are currently doing road work, whether you are patching potholes or installing new asphalt, you might have issues with dust. This not only affects your workers but can prove to be difficult for anyone walking by as well. Here are some tips for controlling dust when completing road work.  

Use Lightly-Misted Water

You don't want the road and construction area to be too damp or it can affect the quality of your work, but you might want to reduce exactly how dry the dirt is. Everything from wind to equipment driving on the road can cause dust to pick up and create issues in the construction zone. Make sure you are only using misted water from water trucks and are not simply wetting the area with a sprayer or hose. This can make the dirt too wet, which is going to create damp soil or mud that creates an even bigger problem. Keep in mind that on hot days, you might need to reapply it multiple during throughout the day.

Add Gravel

Some construction sites near the road can also benefit from having gravel. With gravel laid down in the area, it weighs down the dirt and often reduces how much dust picks up. The gravel itself can help keep loose soil at bay while using crushed aggregates mixed in with the gravel will further weigh it down. You need to use the right amount and in appropriate areas in order to control dust effectively while doing road work. You should keep it on the side of the road so it doesn't affect the work you are doing but still helps reduce the excess dust.

Reduce Area Traffic Speeds

A common problem with dust on construction sites on or close to the road is that nearby vehicles can make the matter a lot worse. Even if it isn't windy outside, just having cars drive by on the road will create wind that lets all the loose particles pick up and spread dust around. When you are attempting to lay wet asphalt, the risk of having dust and debris ending up in the asphalt can be troublesome. Even if the traffic isn't driving on the road you are working on, you should still try to slow it down on the opposite side of the road. Set out signs that will effectively slow down the traffic in addition to using cones that vehicles need to maneuver around. You can also have people in the road directing traffic, which also helps to slow them down.

Set Up Windbreaks

In an area where wind is a major problem that is causing dust in the road work area, you can set up windbreaks. This includes a variety of methods that will help slow down the wind in the construction area. It can be anything from installing a temporary fence around the perimeter of the job site to using a berm or plants.

For further assistance, contact local professionals, such as those from GMCO Corporation.

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