For over 35 years, Lebenshilfe Dresden has been committed to ensuring that every person can live as independently as possible and that every person with a disability receives the support they need. Around 500 employees with various mental illnesses, learning disabilities and intellectual impairments now work there. Work is created here for those who are excluded from the general labor market. The focus is on their abilities, their dignity and their safety.
The work is primarily divided into two areas:
- The carpentry workshop, where classic woodworking machines are used.
- Document shredding, where documents are not simply shredded on a large scale, but are pre-sorted by employees in the interests of sustainability so that they can be reused.
If you would like to delve deeper into the background and health aspects of dust in joineries, you can find more information here.
The initial situation - dust exposure before Dustlight
Before Dustlight, Lebenshilfe Dresden had to rely completely on the measurements taken by the employers' liability insurance association. First of all, an appointment had to be made. Tom Viehweger, occupational safety and quality management specialist, simulated the highest possible dust exposure, which is a rather unrealistic situation in practice. Even in this extreme case, the exposure was below the legal limits according to measurements.
Nevertheless, Lebenshilfe's aim is to expose employees to as little dust as possible, as the health of employees is paramount. Transparency, education and a workplace that is as safe as possible are crucial to creating safety and trust. However, this is difficult to achieve with costly, external measurements on just a few days.
The main measures taken by Lebenshilfe against dust exposure are extraction systems at the shredder and at the work tables in the joinery, room ventilation with exhaust air, reduction of the room volume through partitions and extensive cleaning cycles. At Lebenshilfe, prevention takes precedence over reaction.
Where did Dustlight come in?
A colleague presented the portable measuring device, which immediately impressed with its uncomplicated handling. Unlike large, expensive devices, Dustlight could be used directly by employees: switch it on, place it and read out the values via the app or Web app. This allowed Lebenshilfe Dresden to quickly and independently test various scenarios and develop its optimum safety strategy.
With Dustlight - scenarios and findings
Various measures were reviewed in the area of document destruction:
- Extraction at the shredder: clear effect, the dust load dropped significantly.
- Room ventilation with exhaust air: surprisingly, more exhaust air led to more dust in the room, as particles were stirred up. Less exhaust air proved to be better.
- Room volume: larger rooms without partitions reduce the dust concentration. Smaller, partitioned rooms led to higher values.
- Cleaning cycles: damp cleaning and more frequent vacuuming of surfaces sustainably reduced dust.
Lebenshilfe also used CO₂ measurements to check whether the air quality remained good with reduced exhaust air. Even with minimized room ventilation, the result was positive. This made it possible to reduce dust pollution while maintaining good air quality.
In the joinery, Dustlight confirmed the effectiveness of the existing extraction systems on machines and sanding tables. Here, it was mainly used for regular functional checks.
Conclusion - the focus is on people
The rapid evaluation via the Dustlight app and the software's extended reports make it possible to make informed decisions in the shortest possible time. Thanks to the ability to continuously record the dust concentration at any time, Lebenshilfe Dresden is able to find the optimum setting using various protection strategies. Instead of abstract limit values, the focus is on concrete improvements in everyday working life.
For Tom Viehweger, one thing is clear: "The idea of protection comes first." At Lebenshilfe Dresden, occupational safety means thinking twice about every step. This is particularly important when people with disabilities are working. Dustlight is not just a measuring device here, but a valuable support for greater transparency. Adjustments are made visible and employees are made aware of them: Their health is the focus.
Inspired by the success story of Lebenshilfe Dresden? Discover how Dustlight can make your workplace healthier and safer.