Health and safety officers in the construction industry have a duty towards ensuring workers are protected from the risks of inhalation of dust. Whether that be through equipment such as dust suppression systems or the supply of personal protective equipment, the safety of workers is of the utmost importance!
The World Health Organization has offered some suggestions on some of the best practices to follow towards improving worker safety.
The manner in which a worker performs a task can appreciably affect exposure, so it is important to train workers in good work practices. Video recording of tasks, with simultaneous measurement of airborne concentrations, can be a useful tool for designing and training in adequate work practices.
In the case of dust, it may be effective (and cheaper) to use a dust lamp to make the dust visible and to use this in conjunction with video filming. Work practices which affect exposure include:
- the manner in which containers are handled and lids removed;
- care is taken in transferring dusty materials;
- work speed; and
- the way in which empty containers are handled.
If the material is likely to offer an ingestion hazard, smoking, eating and drinking in the workplace should be forbidden; such activities should be restricted to designated areas, with adequate washing facilities.
Personal care, including teeth brushing, washing hands and cleaning nails, showering and washing hair, before eating and after work are important measures whenever there is the possibility of dust contamination.
Workers must be properly trained about the hazards and risks of the substances used, the control measures, and any exposure monitoring.
The workers are often the people who have the fullest knowledge of what happens during work, and their views should be sought on what leads to exposure and the effectiveness of control.
Personal Protective Measures when Confronted with Dust
Every attempt should be made to avoid or minimize exposure by other methods before resorting to personal protective equipment (PPE), especially respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
A respirator, particularly of the mask type, is not easy to wear for long periods; it can be very uncomfortable, especially in hot or cramped conditions, and workers may be tempted to remove it.
Moreover, uncontrolled airborne dust may spread and affect people who are distant from the task, so it is better to prevent the occurrence of dust exposure in the first place. Another problem is that PPE is fallible, and may not give the protection assumed; moreover, it offers no environmental protection.
Finally, PPE and especially RPE must be conscientiously cleaned and maintained to remain effective, which often makes them a costly option; poor maintenance makes any PPE ineffective.
Nevertheless, there may be some operations, such as cleaning and maintenance, where RPE is the only practical control method. It is very important that such equipment be selected by trained personnel, taking into account the type of hazardous materials it should protect from, the nature of the work, the expected exposure, and the facial characteristics of the wearers; proper fit is of paramount importance. Workers, supervisors and maintenance staff must be properly trained in the use, maintenance and limitations of the equipment.
The tasks for which PPE is prescribed should be periodically re-assessed to see if other control measures have become applicable. Gloves and other skin protection are necessary if the dust may pose a hazard through skin absorption or ingestion, or can have a direct effect on the skin.
Substances should only be purchased from suppliers who adequately label containers and who supply adequate material safety data sheets. A management system should ensure that the necessary information is passed on to all who may be potentially exposed. Areas, where there is a need for the use of PPE or other precautions, should be clearly indicated by warning signs.
Work clothing should not allow the collection of dust; problems such as gathering dust in pockets and shoes should be foreseen. Laundering of clothing contaminated with toxic materials should be done safely, under controlled conditions, and never in the homes of workers.
Environmental protection
Prevention and control systems should be designed to protect both workers’ health and the general environment. Environmental consequences include the effect of fine particles on atmospheric visibility, damage to buildings, effects on vegetation and animals, and health effects on people outside the plant.
As in the workplace, the first priority is to prevent the generation of airborne dust, and, if generation cannot be prevented, then secondly, its removal. Measures that minimize waste generation should be given priority, and any inevitable waste disposal should be so planned as to avoid environmental damage.
