Workplace inspections help prevent incidents, injuries and illnesses. Through an examination of the workplace, they help to identify and record hazards. HSE inspectors are currently visiting construction sites across the country to see if builders' health is being protected with a strong focus on dust and lungs.
Dust
Construction dust is not just a nuisance; it is a real risk to your lungs. The hazards of dusts like silica and wood are well recognised, and HSE produces specific guidance for these dusts, but there are many more substances that generate dusts which are hazardous to health. Exposure to all such dusts needs to be prevented or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled. Some simple checks may help in identifying whether a problem exists in your place of work:
- Is the material you are using naturally dusty?
- Does the work you do create dust by mechanical or other means?
- Is dust liable to be disturbed in your place of work?
Regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases like lung cancer, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and silicosis. Construction workers have a high risk of developing these diseases because many common construction tasks can create high dust levels. Take a look at the HSE Guidance to for advice and information on how to prevent or adequately control construction dust risks at work.
How can we help?
As one of the UK’s leading workplace Health and Safety consultants covering the Midlands, North West and West Yorkshire areas we offer a range of services which can help you assess and control Health and Safety risks within your organisation. The compliance services we offer include:
- Health and Safety audits and inspections
- Workplace exposure monitoring and risk assessments (e.g. Dust and Noise)
- Fire risk assessments
- Legionella risk assessments
- Health and Safety training courses
- Asbestos surveys and inspections
Click here for more information on the services we provide or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
