George Elliott is an utility engineering supervisor within the private security division at 3M United Kingdom

Publicity to silica mud is a well known hazard within the building {industry}, with long-term results together with silicosis, power obstructive pulmonary illness and lung most cancers. An estimated 600,000 employees are uncovered to silica within the UK every year, whereas the Establishment of Occupational Security and Well being (IOSH) estimates that in Europe as an entire, 81 per cent of these uncovered are employed in building or in manufacturing merchandise used within the {industry}.

“Reinforcing the message that controlling mud from all actions is crucial, even on smaller jobs the place there could also be a ‘simply make do’ mentality, is vital”

Nonetheless, some smaller building contractors specifically really feel ill-equipped to handle mud hazards on website as a result of a lack of know-how and assets. Time constraints can even restrict coaching alternatives on the dangers of silica and different building dusts.

Recognising that cross-industry collaboration can be an optimum strategy to addressing these well being challenges, greater than 100 {industry} professionals and representatives from advisory teams together with HCLG (Well being in Development Management Group), CECA (Civil Engineering Contractors Affiliation) and CONIAC (Development Business Advisory Committee) got here collectively as a part of the the HSE’s Mud Kills marketing campaign to share their collective ideas on methods of bettering construction-dust administration, with a view to producing actionable options that smaller contractors may implement of their workplaces.

What are the largest obstacles to higher managing mud?

In addition to the lack of know-how and assets amongst smaller organisations, the price of implementing engineering controls and offering private protecting gear might be seen as a hindrance. To alleviate this burden, renting extraction techniques or loose-fitting powered air-respiratory techniques could possibly be an possibility. The significance of specializing in mud administration through the design stage of building, similar to by means of offsite prefabrication or lowering cut-heavy processes (for instance, herring bone paving slab patterns), also needs to be thought-about.

Which operations current the best threat of mud?

Drilling, breaking, demolition and sweeping all generate vital quantities of mud. Because the hazard from these actions isn’t at all times created by these straight concerned, higher communication onsite and designating areas for dust-producing actions could possibly be scale back employee publicity. Reinforcing the message that controlling mud from all actions is crucial, even on smaller jobs the place there could also be a “simply make do” mentality, can also be key.

How can bigger contractors higher assist others within the {industry}?

Recognising the significance of collaboration throughout all tiers of the {industry}, suggestions included inserting higher significance on controls for smaller duties and offering assist with threat assessments, well being surveillance, coaching, teaching and mentoring. Incorporating the price of managing occupational well being into challenge tenders, offering management measures to smaller contractors, guaranteeing higher coordination on website, and assessing tenders primarily based on health-and-safety approaches fairly than simply price, may be applied.

The place is the best alternative for innovation or enchancment?

From a short-term perspective, choices embody:

• The place required, renting engineering controls and/or powered air-respiratory safety.
• Growing the deal with coaching on the hazard of mud on website and easy methods to implement efficient management measures.
• Offering a transparent and constant well being message for operatives.
• Higher waste administration of mud on website, for instance no brooms.

Within the longer-term:

• Making certain a higher understanding on the design stage of the implications of choices on mud manufacturing on website, along with consideration of higher utilisation of pre-drilled supplies, modular fittings and fewer fixings.
• Figuring out the price of health-and-safety compliance measures associated to mud and different hazards, in order that the principal contractor can construct it into the tender.
• Making certain enough time is allowed for website preparation previous to building commencing, in order that efficient management measures might be applied, similar to water provision for engineering management suppression and designated reducing stations with native exhaust air flow.
• Offering constant, clear and unambiguous steerage as to what respiratory protecting gear requirements ought to be worn on website and when.

By bringing {industry} stakeholders, purchasers, advisory our bodies and respiratory options suppliers collectively, it’s hoped that consciousness of the challenges posed by silica and different building dusts might be elevated and that efficient measures to scale back the influence of mud on building employees’ well being will probably be prioritised.