Construction, Heritage & Mining Dust Extractors — Cornwall
Construction, heritage & mining — Cornwall
V-TUF supplies M-Class and H-Class dust extraction to construction sites across Cornwall. The county's distinctive geology — granite, slate and china clay — creates specific silica exposure risks across construction and mining maintenance operations. Cornwall's china clay operations at St Austell generate silica and ceramic dust requiring H-Class extraction under COSHH 2002. Cornwall's granite building stock and engine house heritage across the former tin and copper mining areas generates elevated silica risk from masonry cutting, grinding and repointing. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust operates Treliske Hospital at Truro with active capital works — any construction inside the RCHT estate requires an ICRA with H-Class extraction mandatory for Type C and D clinical areas.
V-TUF regularly supplies contractors working across Truro, Camborne, Redruth, St Austell, Falmouth and surrounding Cornwall construction sites.
Recommended machines
V-TUF MIDI H-Class — 21L H-Class dust extractor
110V or 240V, H14 HEPA, 99.995% filtration, 21-litre, sealed filtration. Required for china clay and kaolin dust extraction, granite masonry cutting and grinding, and all construction within the RCHT Treliske estate under ICRA protocols. SKU MIDIH110 / MIDIH240.
View 21L H-Class dust extractor →
V-TUF MIGHTY HSV — 21L M-Class dust extractor
110V or 240V, H13 HEPA, 99.9% filtration, 21-litre wet/dry, autostart power take-off. Sustained M-Class specification for Cornwall's residential construction and holiday development programmes. SKU MIGHTYHSV110 / MIGHTYHSV240.
View 21L M-Class dust extractor →
V-TUF MINI HSV — M-Class dust extractor, compact
110V or 240V, H13 HEPA, 99.9% filtration, compact body. M-Class for Cornwall's tight-access cottage and period property refurbishment work. SKU MINIHSV110 / MINIHSV240.
Typical use case — china clay maintenance, St Austell
A maintenance team at a St Austell china clay processing facility runs MIDI H-Class units for kaolin and silica dust extraction during processing equipment maintenance — H-Class is the correct specification under COSHH 2002 for kaolin and associated silica dust. Contractor trade account — next-day delivery to PL25 postcode.
Compliance notes for Cornwall construction sites
- CDM 2015 — principal contractors must demonstrate dust control planning in the pre-construction health and safety plan.
- COSHH 2002 — RCS WEL 0.1mg/m³. H-Class required for china clay/kaolin dust, granite masonry operations and all silica-generating work.
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 — H-Class extraction mandatory for any work near or involving asbestos-containing materials in pre-2000 Cornwall buildings. Cornwall's mining heritage buildings — engine houses, count houses, mine offices and worker housing built pre-2000 — and the wider pre-2000 residential and commercial stock across the county present ACM risk in insulation, pipe lagging and structural materials on refurbishment and conservation programmes.
- ICRA — Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust — ICRA required for all works inside Treliske. H-Class mandatory for Type C and D clinical areas.
- 110V on site — all V-TUF M-Class and H-Class extractors available in 110V CTE.
Further reading on dust control, COSHH compliance and extraction class selection for Cornwall's granite, kaolin and construction materials:
- Silica dust on construction sites: what the regulations actually require →
- M-Class or H-Class: why it depends on what the building is made of →
- ICRA in healthcare construction: what contractors working inside hospitals need to know →
- Asbestos in construction: what CAR 2012 requires for contractors in pre-2000 buildings →
CDM 2015 → COSHH Regulations 2002 → Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 → ICRA → Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 →
Choosing the right dust extractor for your Cornwall site
- China clay, kaolin processing and maintenance — St Austell: MIDI H-Class — H-Class is the legal minimum for kaolin and silica dust
- Granite masonry cutting, grinding and repointing: MIDI H-Class — granite generates respirable crystalline silica requiring H-Class
- Pre-2000 heritage building refurbishment or demolition with suspected ACMs: MIDI H-Class mandatory — see Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 →
- Works inside Treliske Hospital under ICRA: MIDI H-Class mandatory for Type C and D clinical areas
- General residential and holiday development fit-out: MINI HSV (compact M-Class) or MIGHTY HSV (21L for sustained use)
- 110V site requirement: All three machines available in 110V CTE
Contractor account terms — next-day delivery to Cornwall TR, PL and TR postcodes. Telephone 01522 787978.
Frequently asked questions
Is H-Class extraction required for china clay and kaolin dust at St Austell?
Yes — kaolin (china clay) contains crystalline silica. Processing and maintenance operations generate respirable crystalline silica dust at levels requiring H-Class extraction under COSHH 2002. M-Class is not sufficient for kaolin dust. The MIDI H-Class (H14 HEPA, 99.995%) with sealed filtration is the correct specification.
What extraction is required for granite masonry work across Cornwall's heritage buildings?
Granite contains crystalline silica. Any cutting, grinding, drilling or repointing of Cornish granite generates respirable crystalline silica at levels requiring H-Class extraction under COSHH 2002. M-Class is not sufficient for granite masonry operations. The MIDI H-Class (H14 HEPA, 99.995%) is the correct specification.
What extraction is required for construction inside Treliske Hospital?
All construction and maintenance inside Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust at Treliske requires an ICRA before starting. For Type C and D work in clinical areas H-Class extraction is mandatory. The MIDI H-Class with sealed filtration and HEPA-certified disposal bags is the correct specification.
For residential environments where damp, mould or indoor air quality issues are present — including social housing and void properties across Cornwall — see Condensation mould vs penetrating damp: how to tell the difference → and Black mould on walls: what it is and what to do →
Servicing, spares and ongoing support
All V-TUF M-Class and H-Class extractors supported with UK-based spare parts and full servicing. HEPA cartridges and certified disposal bags held for ICRA-compliant use across the RCHT estate and for H-Class extraction requirements across Cornwall's china clay, granite and heritage construction operations.
V-TUF Support Hub → Spare parts for all machines →
For technical support, spare parts queries or servicing requirements — telephone 01522 787978.
Dust generated by cutting, grinding and drilling on Cornwall construction and heritage sites must be controlled at source under COSHH 2002 — granite and kaolin both require H-Class. See COSHH Regulations guidance → and M-Class or H-Class extraction guidance → for a full breakdown.