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Construction workers are one of the at-risk groups within this
because of the dust that they breathe: silica dust is not just a
nuisance; it is a real risk to your lungs!
Silica is a natural mineral present in large amounts in things
like sand, sandstone and granite. It is also commonly found in
many construction materials such as concrete and mortar. The
silica is broken into very fine dust (also known as Respirable
Crystalline Silica or RCS) during many common tasks such as
cutting, drilling and grinding. Breathing in very fine particles of
crystalline silica can lead to the development of:
• lung cancer
• Silicosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
And breathing in fine particles of wood dust can lead to the
development of Asthma. The risk of lung disease is linked to
people who regularly breathe construction dust over a period
of time, not on the odd occasion.
To protect the lung, the COSHH Regulations sets a limit on
the amount of these dusts that you can breathe (called a
Workplace Exposure Limit or WEL) when averaged over a
normal working day. These limits are not a large amount of
dust: when compared to a penny it is tiny – like a small pinch
of salt:
This limit is the legal maximum; the most you can breathe
after the right controls have been used.
How to reduce the amount of dust?
1. Reduce the amount of cutting by using the best sizes of
building products.
2. Use a less powerful tool e.g. a block cutter instead of angle
grinder.
3. Using a different method of work altogether – e.g. using a
nail gun to direct fasten cable trays instead of drilling holes
first.
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