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Real-time silica dust detection system launched
Neil Gerrard Associate editor
The Air XS Silica Monitor in action
A real-time silica dust detection system for workers operating in hazardous environments is the first of its kind, its manufacturers claim.
Health and safety technology firm Trolex has launched the detection system, called the Air XS Silica Monitor.
After asbestos, silica is the biggest risk to construction workers, from the inhalation of silica dust particulates in the workplace. An estimated 600,000 workers are exposed to silica each year in the UK.
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Inhalation of silica dust can cause silicosis, which is a preventable disease.
Air XS Silica Monitor (Image courtesy of Trolex)
The Air XS Silica Monitor, which is aimed at the construction industry, delivers real-time detection of dangerous respirable crystalline silica (RCS) particulates in airborne dust mixtures.
The system requires five minutes of maintenance a month, and Trolex claims workers only need minimal training to use it.
The monitor displays the presence of RCS mass by volume. It can also track changing concentrations of RCS content over time, letting workers know if the amount of RCS in their workspace is increasing as they work and when it has risen to dangerous levels.
And it allows for programming of on-device exposure limit thresholds and warnings (Short Term Exposure Limits and Time Weighted Averages).
Glyn Pierce-Jones, Trolex CEO, said: “This is an exciting product in real-time silica dust monitoring. The Air XS is a global-leading solution to an increasing health problem in many industries. Real-time silica monitoring is the safest and most cost-effective way to promote workers’ health in the industries associated with RCS.
“The Air XS will substantially reduce the number of surveys needed on site, improve processes create smart ventilation and extraction systems and identify inefficiencies.”
The November/December 2025 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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