Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction activities contains chemicals, birth defects or other reproductive harm. 

Some examples of these chemicals are: 

• lead from lead-based paints, 

• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other masonry products, and 

• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated lumber. 

Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on how often you do this type of work. 

To reduce your exposure to these chemicals: 

work in a well ventilated area, 

and work with approved safety equipment, 

such as those dust masks that are specially designed to filter out microscopic particles.