Construction dust is not just a nuisance; it can seriously damage your health and some types can eventually even kill.

 

 

Regularly breathing these dusts over a long time can therefore cause life-changing lung and respiratory diseases.

There are three main types of construction dust:

  • Silica dust - When working on concrete, mortar and sandstone
  • Wood dust - When working on softwood, hardwood and wood-based products
  • Lower toxicity dust - When working on limestone, marble and dolomite

The image shown here illustrates the largest amount of silica someone should be breathing in a day after using the right controls next to the penny.

Regulation 12 of the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2002 requires that employers who undertake work which is liable to expose an employee to a substance hazardous to health shall provide their employees with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.

Our SHEQ Department has recently received training from 3M on delivering Qualitative Fit Testing (Face Fit Testing as is more  commonly known) in order that they have the competence to perform the test on all our staff where they may work in proximity to dust or generate dust in their work activity.

This will be carried out over the coming months to ensure that the correct type and fit of respiratory equipment is provided to prevent them from breathing in harmful dust on site.

The test will generally take between 20 and 30 minutes and the records will be kept on file.

Tags on this post: training

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