HSE targets construction workers’ lung health with nationwide inspection campaign
A campaign has been started by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to reduce the risk of serious illnesses at work brought on by dust exposure. The HSE's Dust Kills campaign, which offers free guidance to businesses and employees on the control measures necessary to limit exposure to dust, is supporting the project. The inspections in May, June, and July will concentrate on respiratory risks from dust exposure, with an emphasis on the construction industry in particular.
HSE Dust Campaign
Due to prior exposure to dust at work, thousands of avoidable cases of permanent lung illness occur each year. These illnesses frequently have a profound effect on a person's life and can cause early death. The checks are a part of a respiratory health intervention programme designed to safeguard the wellbeing of workers.
Beginning on Monday, May 15, 2023, inspectors will start examining the safety precautions put in place to prevent construction workers from breathing in dusts such wood dust and respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Additionally, they will receive reassurances that asbestos-containing materials have been located, removed, or managed as needed to avoid or minimise exposure.
The project is backed by the HSE's Dust Kills campaign, which offers straightforward advice and direction for employers, small builders, and employees on the Work Right website to assist everyone understand the risks and how to keep healthy on site. The inspection initiative's main goal is to make sure the workers' health is safeguarded. However, inspectors will take the appropriate steps to address any safety hazards or other areas of concern that they find.
Construction's chief inspector for the HSE, Michael Thomas, stated: "Each year, we witness the passing of construction employees due to illnesses brought on or exacerbated by their jobs. In the twenty-first century, since occupational lung illness is preventable, this is intolerable. Employers and employees are urged to adopt the required safety measures right now to protect their long-term lung health, to avoid them and their families suffering from the devastating impact that can result.”
The inspections will pay close attention to dust control, making sure that both employers and employees are aware of the hazards, have plans in place, and are utilising the appropriate measures. Inspectors will have conversations with those on the job site to make sure that they have thought through the job from beginning to end, have thought about the risks at each stage, and are managing the risks with practical actions in accordance with the broad hierarchy of control options, such as water suppression, extraction, and as a last resort Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE).
Businesses and employees must take the required safety measures to safeguard their long-term lung health. Employers and employees can make sure they are taking the required precautions to prevent dust-related illnesses by listening to the recommendations and instructions provided by the Dust Kills campaign.
