Workers within the construction industry face a plethora of health
and safety hazards in their work environments every day. Unfortunately,
health hazards within this industry are often overlooked because so much
emphasis is put on accident prevention.
UK construction has 2 million workers, either
directly or through subcontract and this means that it is the single
largest industry in the UK. The nature of the work on construction sites
makes it one of the most dangerous work environments.
Health
hazards include exposure to materials that can cause long term
ill-effects and injury. Health hazards in construction are not always
immediately obvious, but many of them can have devastating effects, and
can often cause long term health issues. All of these hazards can be
minimized by use of the correct construction safety equipment.
Managing health issues in construction
A system should be put in place to ensure that all steps are taken to
avoid health problems. As a result, reduced absenteeism, reduced staff
turnover, reduced insurance premiums and improved productivity are some
of the benefits that can be seen by ensuring a stringent occupational health control system.
Common health risks include:
Musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain from manual handling Noise
induced hearing loss Hand arm vibration syndrome caused by use of hand
held power toolsSkin and respiratory problems caused by exposure to
hazardous substances
Some of the materials that can cause health hazards within construction, and their implications include the following:
Synthetic Mineral Fibres
Some fibrous products are used in building for thermal insulation or
sound proofing and are generally made from fibreglass or ceramic. Fibres
can cause irritation of the nasal passages, skin, eyes and throat.
Ensure that the relevant construction safety equipment is available to
all personnel who may come into contact with these substances, such as
suitable PPE and respirators.
Wood Dust
Construction
workers often handle substantial quantities of materials such as
fibreboard. Machining operations such as sanding and machining will
generate large amounts of wood dust. Particles of wood dust can be
trapped easily in the nasal passages and inhaling wood dust can cause
asthma. There is also a risk of allergy from inhaling dust from woods
contaminated with fungi.
Construction safety equipment such as
dust masks and eye protection will minimise the risks from inhaling wood
dust particles. Partitioning, or strip curtaining can contain dust
particles within a confined area, making clean up easier.
Solvents
Solvents are used for degreasing and cleaning and are found in glues,
paints and varnishes. Exposure to them can cause short and long term
effects. Problems are caused by either breathing in the vapour produced
by solvents, or by exposure to the skin.
Short term exposure can
cause headaches, nausea, drowsiness and skin problems. Long term
exposure can occur from repeated exposure over a long time and can
include damage to the kidneys, liver and skin. Sleep problems and short
term memory loss are also reported problems associated with long term
exposure to solvents. You can minimise the risks associated with
exposure to solvents by using the correct construction safety equipment such as PPE and breathing apparatus.
Safety First Manufacturing Ltd are suppliers of a wide range of PPE and construction safety equipment.