Health Risks in Construction This tool box talk is about the hazards and risks associated with the health of a person undertaking safety critical work. Toolbox Talk Safety Critical Tasks 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.

Safety Critical Workers “Where the ill health of a person may effect their ability to undertake a task defined as safety critical, which would possibly pose a significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or others” A Safety Critical Worker within the Industry Standard is defined as: “Where the ill health of an individual may compromise their ability to undertake a task defined as safety critical, thereby posing a significant risk to the health and safety of others”

Safety Critical Tasks Driving plant or heavy machinery Hi-speed road workers Rail track-side workers Asbestos licensed workers Tunnellers, or those working in a confined space Tasks carried out at height (where collective preventative measures to control risk are not practicable) Others as identified by the risk assessment process The tasks within construction that are considered to be safety critical are: Driving plant or heavy machinery for instance if the operator suddenly collapsed with a stroke due to high blood pressure, you can imagine the consequences Hi-speed road workers again to be taken ill at the side of a motorway could have extreme consequences, and the same for Rail track-side workers Asbestos licensed workers for example if the worker was to suffer with panic attacks and pull his own or a colleagues mask off, or become ill and need rescuing this could pose a real danger And the same with Tunnellers, or those working in a confined space Where tasks carried out at height (where collective preventative measures to control risk are not practicable) and for example the person fell because they went into a diabetic coma? Safety critical tasks could also be other things as identified by the risk assessment process, which could include driving airside

Why are Safety Critical workers at risk? Safety risks are generally well managed but when it comes to health, it is not so easily seen or planned for Some people may have health problems that they are unaware of or show no symptoms We all know the work that goes into ensuring that safety risks are generally well managed, but when it comes to health, it is not so easily seen or planned for Some people may have health problems that they are unaware of, because they may not have any symptoms, but they could still result in an accident as we discussed on the previous slide

Prevention Any risks associated with safety critical work should be assessed and controlled in the normal way Health checks are advisable every 3 years This involves various health checks, explained on next slide Any risks associated with safety critical work should be assessed and controlled in the normal way To minimise the risk of an accident or injury due to a persons general ill health, health checks are advisable every 3 years Lets have a look at the types of health checks recommended

Health checks include: Blood pressure (BP) check Diabetes check Eyesight testing Hearing testing Lung function test Mobility BMI Details and advice on health issues can be found at: www.menshealth.co.uk The tests involved in a safety critical worker health check include: A blood pressure (BP) check as there are often no symptoms of high BP, but it could lead to sudden collapse Also a diabetes check, this is a urine test to check for sugar as again, if diabetes goes undetected, it can lead to collapse Plus an eyesight test to make sure you can see adequately A hearing test to make sure, for example, that warning sounds can be heard A lung function test is performed to check lung capacity, i.e. For any breathing problem that could affect movement, or escape if necessary Mobility is also checked to ensure the operator is able to move about adequately, and turn to check for hazards if operating mobile plant for instance Body mass index, or BMI, which is worked out from height and weight as high BMI could lead to heart disease which in turn could lead to sudden collapse If you want any further details and advice on mens general health issues, they can be found at www.menshealth.co.uk

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