Crackdown campaign for construction dust
Authored by David Dexter, Risk Solutions Practice Leader
The announcement from HSE that safety inspectors have launched a three-month campaign to address the risks of dust on construction sites is welcome news
Launched in May 2023, HSE is driving a summer safety inspection campaign (as part of their established Dust Kills campaign) which reaffirms QBE’s experience that exposure to construction dust can cause serious, irreversible long-term health effects.
Respirable Crystalline Silica (a fine dust by-product of construction processes) is so fine that exposure to it can reach the deep lung and remain there over an extended period. Causing fibrosis of the lung tissue, the damage is irreversible, with sufferers becoming house- or bed-bound and often dying prematurely due to heart failure.
“Every year we see construction workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work. This is unacceptable in the 21st century, when occupational lung disease is preventable,” said HSE’s Chief Inspector of Construction, Michael Thomas.
“We are urging employers and workers to take the necessary precautions today to protect their long-term lung health, to avoid them and their families suffering from the devastating impact that can result.”
Target areas including control measures and employee risk awareness, giving both employers and inspectors assurance that high-risk activities have been identified and managed to protect workers and the public.
Read our blog on Managing the health risks of Silica Dust HERE
