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Heavy equipment operation generates a large amount of dust, which may contain crystalline silica and creates a hazard for the operator.

Adding a cab filtration and a pressurisation system to a heavy equipment may be an effective method to reduce operator exposure to dust and silica and is an important dust control option to consider. These after‐market control systems use a cyclonic, or inertial, separator followed by one or more filters to remove particles from the air supplied to the equipment cab. Some systems feature a second filter that cleans the cabin air that is recirculated. The filtration efficiency and protection provided by a system depends on the integrity of the cabin and the filtration system as well as filter efficiency.

Additional Considerations:
There are additional conditions and practices that can improve the performance of filtration and pressurisation systems and reduce dust and silica concentrations in equipment cab:

•The enclosed cabin must be leak‐tested and sealed.
•Door and window gaskets can be replaced and cracks and holes sealed to improve cabin integrity.
•Doors and windows should be kept closed at all times.
•Cab floors should be kept clean of dust and debris. Some studies indicate that the use of floor sweep compounds may help reduce airborne dust originating from cabin floors.
•The performance of electrostatic filters decreases after a few months. This type of filter should be replaced on a fixed schedule; not on one based on hours used.
•When feasible, filtration and pressurisation systems should recirculate and filter cabin air.

Without proper maintenance, such as filter replacement, performance can decline rapidly. Cab filtration systems use inertial separators followed by filters to remove particulate, including silica, before they enter the equipment cabin. In addition, some systems are equipped with a second filter to clean the cabin air prior to recirculation, further reducing concentrations in the cab and operator exposure.