Ballast Dust: Is This A Risk? Caroline Meek Head of HSEA National Delivery Service Network Rail

Ballast Process: Quarry Ballast is produced from granite quarries Blasted Crushed Sieved Washed Loaded into box wagons Process Improvements Dust reduction

Ballast Process: LDC’s Off loaded Stored in stock piles Reloaded into wagons

Ballast Process: Worksites Ballast is offloaded 30-40% over ordering

Ballast Delivery Mechanisms

Operational Safety Risk Lack of visibility

Occupational Health Risk Total inhalable Respirable Silica Eyes, Nose, Mouth & Skin

Occupational Health Risk Silicosis Symptoms Chest tightness A cough, with or without sputum Shortness of breath Premature death There is no current cure for Silicosis

Ballast Dust Working Group Members

Exposure Monitoring A number of occupational health data sets have been analysed Data range is from 2007 to 2011 RAG Status applied to results

Total Inhalable Dust WEL10mg/m3: No exposures over the WEL A very small number of individuals had up to 5mg/m3 WEL exposure Remaining exposure levels were approximately 1mg/m3 or less

Respirable Dust WEL 4mg/m3 Activity: Ballast Drop from Falcon Wagons using RRV’s COSHH intervention required: Technician Site Supervisor Crane Controllers RRV Driver (as cab window was open) Engineering Supervisor

Respirable Silica Dust WEL 0.1mg/m3 Amber Activity: Ballast Cleaner and Falcon Wagon COSHH intervention required: Ground staff within 10m of activity Red Activity: Falcon Wagon Ballast Regulator Actual Exposures identified

Next Steps for Working Group Removing staff not required RPE/PPE Dust suppression units QC/Exposure Monitoring COSHH risk assessment

Further Considerations - Working Group Worksite operations – where actions increase dust Ballast source & analysis – i.e. weather Focus on Communication Good Practice Guide

Any Questions?