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Executive Report: Dealing with dust Reviewing the presentation he gave at the recent HAE Conference, Nigel Strickland suggests that hirers need to focus much more attention on dust hazards. The hire industry has a vital part to play in promoting new working practices relating to dust, in the same way that it has previously grasped the initiative with HAV and Work at Height. Indeed, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) itself believes that hire companies have a key role in adopting measures to assist in the education, training and general raising of awareness of the issue of dust in construction and other workplace environments. It is worth recapping the requirements of the CoSHH Regulations and the responsibilities they place on all employers to control an employee’s exposure to hazardous dust. Recently, new working exposure limits (WELs) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) were introduced. Research had suggested that the previous regulations permitted worker exposure to levels that gave rise to a 20% risk of contracting the debilitating illness, silicosis. There are 140,000 construction workers who are exposed to RCS on a regular basis. The new WEL is now 0.1 milligrams of RCS per cubic metre of air, averaged over an eight-hour period (expressed as 0.1 mg/m3), which is an incredibly small amount. This is still under review and a further reduction in WELs could be introduced in the future. The failure to deal with dust in industry has been estimated to be responsible for up to 4,000 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the UK every year. Four out of ten patients are below retirement age, with 25% of these unable to ever return to work. To promote the new WEL, the HSE has over the past two years produced a series of CoSHH Essentials information sheets on silica and RCS, but the almost complete lack of awareness of these documents amongst the Conference audience suggests the HSE needs to improve its lines of communication. The HSE is also undertaking a project to reduce respiratory disease specifically targeted at those engaged in cutting kerbs, paviors and paving, and this could help develop new, and safer, working practices. Currently, a working group comprising construction companies, designers, manufacturers and other interested bodies are engaged in the consultation process, with the HAE representing the hire industry. To support its engagement in the project, the HAE carried out what it described as a ‘quick survey’ of members in March this year, with the aim of gathering comments and views on some of the technical and practical issues surrounding the reduction of dust. Should not such an important topic warrant more than a low-key, cursory approach to gaining the views of members, and far greater engagement sought on the issue? One way to become involved directly is via the HSE web site www.webcommunities.hse.gov.uk. This encourages genuine debate and input from all interested parties - however, the web site dialogue suggestes a profound need for practical input from our industry, to ensure that the final outcomes of the project reflect the ‘real world’, and that they are capable of implementation. Only by serious engagement can the hire industry maximise the effective investment in equipment, training and customer support that will be required. The web forum also gives hirers an opportunity to engage with the construction, manufacturing and design industries, and to share valuable information. A typical example of the quality of information available through the forum is the research sponsored by Speedy Hire, into the attitudes of site operatives and construction management on dust. These findings show a massive knowledge gap surrounding dust, yet a clear recognition that there are major health risks and a desire to improve working conditions. Just as with other areas of Health & Safety, hirers have a key role and should get involved now so they are ready to provide customers with appropriate guidance and equipment.• Executive Hire News › Archives › November 2007 › Executive Report › Dealing with dust
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