Just went through a general liability renewal audit and the inspector specifically asked about dust management for tropical hardwood cutting — apparently Ipe dust sensitization claims are on their radar now. Having a written dust protocol (extraction on saws, respirators logged, cut station location) got me through clean. If you don't have this documented, do it before your renewal. Took me an afternoon.
This matches what my broker told me in March. Also worth logging respirator fit tests — that was the specific document mine asked for.
Good heads up. Anyone have a dust protocol template they'd share? Rather not start from a blank page.
@Sam I'll clean mine up and post it in Resources this week — it's one page.
Good heads-up, OP. Dealing with Ipe is no joke; the silica content tears up lungs and sinuses fast. Beyond just the extraction on the miter saw, I started using an independent HEPA-filtered ambient air scrubber set right next to the cutting station. It catches the floaters that the shop vac misses. I also keep a stack of N95s in the truck and require the guys to log their seal checks weekly in our safety binder. It might seem like overkill for a quick deck job, but keeping that logbook tight has saved us a massive headache during our last three audits. Stay safe out there.
Thanks for the tip, Robert. I’ve found that using a clear plastic containment curtain or a portable zip-wall around the miter station makes a world of difference when we are ripping dense exotics like Cumaru or Ipe. It keeps the dust from migrating across the whole job site and triggering neighbor complaints. I also switched to a high-capacity pulse-cleaning vacuum like the Festool CT series; the automatic filter cleaning keeps suction consistent throughout the day so you aren't losing efficiency mid-cut. Having that containment setup clearly documented in the safety plan definitely keeps the insurance guys happy during inspections.
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