Wollongong · Planning guide
Wet Cutting or Dry Cutting: What Changes?
The better method is the one that suits the tool, material, environment and control plan — not the one with the simpler label.
Wet cutting
Wet cutting
Water at the blade or barrel helps cool diamond tooling and can suppress airborne dust at the source. It also creates slurry that must be captured, kept from stormwater and removed without staining or damaging nearby finishes.
Water-sensitive rooms, electrical equipment, lower levels and drainage routes need explicit protection.
Dry cutting
Dry cutting
Dry cutting can suit particular tools and locations, but it does not remove the dust hazard. Effective on-tool extraction, compatible equipment, isolation, respiratory controls and clean-up are still required.
A household vacuum or open window should not be assumed to provide task-appropriate control.
Questions that determine the method
Questions that determine the method
The provider considers the equipment manufacturer's requirements, cut depth and duration, ventilation, occupants, water access, drainage, surface finish, extraction and the site's silica-control plan.
- Can water be supplied and fully contained?
- Can extraction be connected and positioned without restricting the operator?
- Are people or sensitive finishes nearby?
- Does the tool and cutting duration suit the proposed method?
- How will slurry, dust and contaminated waste be handled?
Use task-specific safety controls
Use task-specific safety controls
SafeWork NSW publishes a code of practice for cutting, drilling and grinding concrete and masonry products, and separate guidance for respirable crystalline silica risks. Use the current official material and the actual workplace controls.
Wet and dry cutting questions
Wet and dry cutting questions
Is wet cutting dust-free?
No. It can substantially suppress airborne dust at the cut, but spray, residual dust and slurry still require controls and clean-up.
Is dry cutting always faster?
No. Production depends on the tool, depth, material and control setup. A method that cannot be controlled safely is not a practical shortcut.
Can slurry go into a stormwater drain?
It should be contained and managed under the site's requirements rather than allowed to enter stormwater.
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