Continuing support for the CDP

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HSM examines the Construction Dust Partnership (CDP), an industry collaboration with direct involvement from many organisations, including the HSE and a number of commercial supporters.

Safety Groups UK (SGUK) is a member of the Construction Dust Partnership and is continuing its commitment to facilitate six free seminars to raise awareness of the CDP and the health risks associated with construction dust. Following two successful seminars at the end of 2014 a further two seminars took place in July, and another two seminars are planned for the Autumn.

The aim of the CDP is "To raise awareness within the construction industry about lung diseases related to hazardous workplace dust and to promote good practice to prevent these diseases, particularly for those undertaking high risk tasks.”

The CDP membership has collectively agreed to:

   •   Target hazardous construction dusts, particularly those that give rise to the greatest risk of lung disease.
   •   Improve the construction industry’s awareness of the risks of developing lung disease due to the inhalation of these dusts.
   •   Identify those construction tasks that give rise to the greatest risk to workers developing such conditions.
   •   Work together to agree and promote proportionate controls to minimise the risks from these high risk tasks.

Managing and controlling long-term exposure to dust is a challenge facing the construction industry. Many workers are exposed daily and the amount breathed in each day as they work from site to site can seem small or insignificant. In some cases the effects of exposure may be immediate but generally it can take years before the symptoms of ill health become apparent. For this reason, respiratory risks are often overlooked, however respiratory diseases can be totally disabling, causing those affected to give up work or change their employment or have even more severe consequences. Currently, over 500 construction workers are believed to die each year as a result of exposure to silica dust alone.

Breathing in construction dusts can cause lung cancer, silicosis, asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Jobs such as cutting paving slabs or roof tiles, carpentry, wall chasing, grinding, sanding and sweeping are all high risk if control measures are not in place.

Inhalation of respirable construction which is normally invisible to the naked eye without strong background light can cause significant ill health effects i.e:-

   •   Different dusts can have different effects
    •   Sand and Concrete
   •   Irreparable long term lung damage called Silicosis
   •   Wood
   •   Lung cancer and allergic reactions (sensitisation)
    •   Gypsum & General Dusts
   •   A clogging up of your lungs known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Control measures such as Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) and on-tool extraction should be applied as far as possible to reduce the generation of dust at source as part of an overall risk reduction programme and hierarchy of control.

Simple advise should be followed i.e:

   •   Engineering controls such as on tool-extraction and damping down will reduce your exposure. Use these in combination with a suitable dust mask to ensure you are protected
    •   Take individual responsibility for yourself and co-workers
   •   Ensure your work does not cause increased and uncontrolled dust
   •   Damp down dusts or use vacuum cleaners to clear your workplace
   •   Remember that PPE such as dust masks will only protect yourself if properly selected and fitted. Do others in your area have the same PPE?

The SGUK Construction Dust Partnership Seminars aim to raise awareness of the dangers of construction dust, how it can be a risk to health and provide attendees with useful guidance on how to reduce the risk. They also highlight the fact that protecting workers from the effects of construction dust need not be difficult or costly.

The seminars held in July were hosted by Arco in Hull and at 3M in Bracknell and were introduced by John Cairns, Chairman of SGUK who provided background information to the event.

Presentations were made at each seminar by the host companies Arco and 3M and by Mark Flynn, HSE, CDP Partnership Manager who gave an introduction to the types of construction dust, details of exposure and health risks, hierarchy of controls, as well as designing out dust and effective precautions.
Practical workshops followed on Face Fit Respirator Demonstrations and Reducing Dust at Source. The workshops were provided by the host companies in conjunction with the Health & Safety Laboratory, Brandon Hire and Hilti.

A further presentation, on the operational HSE inspector’s perspective was provided by HSE speakers Medani Close and Jane Beckmann. The event concluded with a Q&A Panel of the partner organisations at the event.

Further information on the Autumn CDP Events can be found on the SGUK website www.safetygroupsuk.org.uk/.
Further information on the Construction Dust Partnership can be found on the citb website www.citb.co.uk/cdp.
A number of suppliers to the construction industry also produce free guides to Construction Dust including Arco, 3M, Brandon Hire and JSP.

0161 485 8102treasurer.sg.uk@ntlworld.com