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EN
TTI880RSP
The following information applies to professional users
only but is good practice for all users:
Additional safety warning for construction dust
The updated Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health Regulations 1st October 2012 now also targets
to reduce the risks associated with silica, wood and
gypsumdusts. 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
Disorder/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
Safety
