Festool and Extract Science

Festool is urging the trades to protect their health whilst also increasing efficiency and tool longevity with the use of a dust extractor.

The latest research from Festool has unearthed that tradespeople spend up to four days a month cleaning up, with an average time of one to two hours per day. This becomes considerably less with the use of a dust extractor, the dust is removed at the point of which it is produced.

Of the 300 tradespeople surveyed, 97% would recommend the use of a dust extractor to help with the time efficiency of jobs. 54% of respondents believed that cleanliness is the main benefit to dust extraction, ensuring that customers’ properties are less impacted by dust and less time is taken on the job.

A loyal Festool customer, Mark from Lancashire, said: “I have been using Festool RTS400EQ+ and RO90DX sanders attached to my Midi dust extractor for 18 months. It has dramatically improved my painting and decorating business. The dust extraction system enhances the performance of the sanders, improves the finish and, of course, takes away the vast majority of the harmful particles.”

Tool Longevity
Tool performance is another essential benefit to dust extraction, with 88% of survey respondents agreeing that the use of an extractor will extend tool life.

Whilst exact results will vary between tool owners, the type of jobs they complete and frequency of use, it is clear that by keeping dust away from the machine the risk of damage or wear and tear is considerably reduced. This means that tools will require less maintenance, less frequent replacement and provide better value to the owner.

Jonathan Burcham, Marketing Manager at Festool, said: “By keeping harmful particles away from your lungs – and your tools – dust extractors enable you to extend your working life, as well as the tool’s longevity. With dust extraction, to remove dust at source, the mess and therefore clean-up time are dramatically reduced.

“Our aim with Festool’s ‘giving you time’ campaign is to drive home the key benefits of dust extraction in a way that will resonate with every tradesperson in one way or another: safety, efficiency and longevity.”

Healthy working
Festool has partnered with The British Lung Foundation to raise awareness of the dangers of wood dust inhalation.

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 requires that workers are protected from the hazards of wood dust. According to government regulations, both hardwood and softwood dusts have a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) of 5mg/m3, which must not be exceeded. Exposure to wood dust can cause skin irritation, asthma, lung disease and even cancer, among other debilitating health problems.

Lung disease is in the top three killer diseases in the UK, with 115,000 people dying every year from a related condition – this equates to one person every five minutes, according to the British Lung Foundation’s Battle of Breath study.

As a known carcinogen, exposure to wood dust can also increase your risk of lung cancer. Battle of Breath found that over 43,000 people are diagnosed the condition every year.