Health Risks in Construction This tool box talk is for those workers who are exposed to respiratory hazards, ie hazardous substances that can be breathed in and that can affect your lungs, eg: Dust Chemicals Asbestos Silica Toolbox Talk Respiratory Health Risks in Construction This project has been delivered with support from the CITB Growth Fund, which aims to ensure that the construction industry has the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time and is equipped to meet the future skills demands of the industry.

Tasks where these hazards can be found Cutting stone Mixing concrete Woodwork Insulating Demolishing Welding Grit blasting Cutting MDF Maintenance Painting & removal of paint Sweeping up When are you at risk? Well, when you are doing any job where you can breath anything in to your lungs, whether it is a dust, vapour or fume etc. This could be, for example when you are: Sanding Drilling Cutting Mixing Such as painters when removing paint, especially if it is from old buildings and may contain Lead. Carpenters sawing or cutting, groundworkers cutting slabs, bricklayers mixing mortar or cutting bricks, floor layers working with solvents and so on. Not to mention labourers cleaning up!

What are the health hazards? Dust – breathed in or getting in to eyes Vibration Noise Skin – when refuelling & COSHH procedures Manual Handling What health hazards could be present from this?

Risks Chronic asthma Chest infections Irreversible Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Cancer Silicosis Asbestosis So what are the risks? Why do you need to worry about what you breath in? Well, it can lead to problems such as chronic asthma, chest infections, coughing fits, pain and discomfort. The symptoms are a bit like having a cold, eg bouts of coughing or wheezing, shortness of breath, tight chest and difficulty breathing, runny or stuffy nose, frequent sneezing, watery or itchy eyes and a tickly throat You may find that: These symptoms happen more and more regularly You become far more sensitive to other factors, which have rarely caused you a problem before, eg animal fur, smoking, and pollution In some cases the initial signs may develop into a full blown asthma attack These risks are very serious and could include cancer, asbestosis, silicosis and other associated lung disease. You can see the damage to lungs caused by brick dust in this picture!

Dust and Chemicals Asthma: the symptoms are: Shortness of breath Wheezing and A tight feeling in the chest, often worse at night. COPD : (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Symptoms include: Cough Phlegm Shortness of breath So lets look closer at the risks of breathing in dust and chemicals, such as: Asthma Shortness of breath Wheezing, and A tight feeling in the chest can all be signs of asthma COPD Is a chronic lung disease which means the breathing problems are persistent and unrelieved, and may include: Severe shortness of breath A continual cough with phlegm

Why worry? Breathing difficulties can stop you from being able to work Breathing difficulties can stop you from living a normal life outside work The reason that you need to worry about your breathing is that, if you can't breath properly it may mean that you are unable to work. If you can’t work, your not earning, which may mean that you can’t pay: The rent Mortgage Go on holiday and so on The same goes for all of the topics covered in the tool box talks. If you can’t work it affects your income but can also have a knock on effect to other aspects of your life, such as playing sport, play with children or grandchildren, even going to the pub. Don’t forget that the effects may not be immediate, so you also need to consider the future and what you can do to protect yourselves.

Prevention What can you do to avoid problems? Know what you’re working with health & safety data sheet method statement e.g. for controlling dust There are lots of things which can be done to reduce the problems Firstly , you know all those pieces of paper you are given saying Method Statement, Risk Assessments, Health & Safety data and so on, make sure that you read them! They contain a lot of very useful information, which helps you to carry out your job safely and keep you healthy If you find that you don’t understand the information or feel that you can't work to the method statement provided, don’t just chuck them into the back of the van or throw them away. Go back to whoever has written it to get further information or work with them to ensure that it is written in a way which means the you are able to carry out the work in the best way, protecting yourself as well as your boss Another thing is that if you spot some thing which you don’t think is right talk to someone! We are very good at just getting on with the job without thinking about how what we are doing effects others, so if you are doing a job, which may effect someone else then talk to them. Speak to your supervisors about anything you are unsure of Try to keep the workplace and equipment, as well as your mask and clothing, as clean as possible from dust and other contaminants If you smoke give up if possible, as smoking can make symptoms even worse

Prevention What about RPE? Make sure it fits Have a face fit test Make sure it is appropriate for task Keep it clean and in good working order Make sure you use and wear it as you have been trained to If you or your employer has done everything possible to reduce hazard exposure, then you need to think about using personal respiratory protective equipment, RPE, to prevent yourself from breathing in dust, so face masks etc should be provided. Ensure that the RPE fits properly If it’s a disposable face mask, use a new one each day Where necessary ensure that you replace the filter on face masks at regular Intervals as stated in the instructions and check prior to use If the filter appears discoloured, maybe brown or red, replace it with a new one Keep it clean You should check you’ve got the right RPE and that it’s working properly. That’s where the Risk assessments, Method statements and COSHH data sheets come in, as they will give you information on the type of mask needed Make sure that you have been trained to use your mask correctly

Asbestos Every week 20 tradesmen die from asbestos related diseases There is no safe level of exposure Fibres that are so small you cannot see them, but you can breathe them in Exposure now? Symptoms usually begin to appear 15-20 years after initial exposure Damage caused by Asbestos fibres So Asbestos… Did you know that over a thousand people in Great Britain die each year from mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer as a result of past exposure to asbestos, many of those are construction workers Asbestos is ok if it is left alone, The problems arise when it is knocked about, cut into or drilled or if it is in a poor condition There is no safe exposure level and you can’t see the fibres with your naked eye but they can be breathed in without you even knowing But from this picture you can see the damage it does!

Risks Pleural plaques Asbestosis Mesothelioma Asbestos related lung cancer The main risks of asbestos exposure are Asbestosis - A disabling and ultimately fatal scarring of the lungs Lung Cancer - Exposure to Asbestos will increase your risk of lung cancer Mesothelioma - A rapidly fatal and painful cancer which can be linked to short term exposure to Asbestos and pleural plaques

Prevention Where can asbestos be found? Mainly in maintenance or refurbishment of older buildings (up to1980’s) What should you do if you find it? Leave it alone Stop work Stop others from working in area Get it checked out Asbestos is mainly found when carrying out maintenance and refurbishment works Plumbers, carpenters and electricians tend to be at higher risk of exposure due to the nature of their work However Asbestos can be found in a large number of places, most of us will recognise the asbestos cement sheet roofing, but it can be found in a number of other places including: Around pipes In walls and cavities Buried in the ground If you find something that you think may be asbestos, leave it alone Stop work in that area, stop others from working near it and get it checked out If you are not trained to work with it don’t!

Silica ‘Respirable Crystaline Silica’ (RCS) is silica that can be breathed in Where can Silica be found? stone masonry façade renovation blast cleaning of buildings, especially using sand many demolition processes concrete scabbling, cutting or drilling tunnelling ‘Respirable Crystaline Silica’ (RCS) is silica that can be breathed in Exposure can result from: stone masonry façade renovation blast cleaning of buildings, especially using sand many demolition processes concrete scabbling, cutting or drilling tunnelling

Risks Silicosis Tuberculosis Lung cancer There are over 500 deaths recorded per year due to cancer from silica exposure Silica exposure can cause serious lung disease, including: Silicosis Tuberculosis, and Lung cancer Are you aware that exposure to silica results in over 500 deaths per year! We must not let that number increase

Prevention Eliminate silica dust from your work i.e. substitute it using non-silica grits for blasting Design out the need for scabbling, cutting or drilling concrete Control exposure Use respiratory protective equipment (RPE) To prevent the risks from silica you should firstly try to get rid of silica dust from your work, maybe by substituting it using non-silica grits for blasting See if you can design out the need for scabbling, cutting or drilling concrete? If not then control respirable silica exposure by using dust suppression techniques or local exhaust ventilation Wet drilling, use of appropriate ventilation and other dust-control facilities can minimise exposure Use the showers to clean the dust off you and don’t forget to wear your respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

General Warning signs Do not ignore a long term persistent cough Shortness of breath Coughing up phlegm with blood in it Loss of appetite Chest pain or ache Unexplained tiredness Plain and/or swelling in abdomen All will be aggravated by smoking Seek medical support Silicosis is directly caused by inhaling silica dust The symptoms include: A cough, with or without sputum Shortness of breath, particularly on exercise Chest tightness Smoking not only aggravates the symptoms of silicosis but also speeds up the progress of the disease! Again, if you have any worries about your health or any of the symptoms discussed you should visit your GP

ANY QUESTIONS? www.cbhscheme.com If you have any questions then speak to your Manager, you can also phone CBH on 0845 873 7726 for impartial confidential advice If you have any symptoms please do make an appointment to see your GP Thank you for listening www.cbhscheme.com