The air you breathe at work can contain dusts, gases, fumes or vapours. Construction workers are at risk of breathing in hazardous air, including through:
- cutting, grinding, polishing and crushing concrete, pavers, tiles and bricks
- cutting drywall/plasterboard
- using paints, glue and varnishes
- welding, and
- cutting and sanding some types of wood.
Implementing the right control measures can eliminate or manage your workers’ exposure to these hazards and protect their lungs.
Some of the ways you can manage these risks are:
- limiting access to areas where dusts, gases, fumes or vapours are being released
- using score and snap fibre cement sheeting instead of cutting concrete
- using local exhaust ventilation, water suppression, and on tool dust extraction, and
- wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, including respiratory protective equipment.
Our Clean Air. Clear Lungs campaign website has case studies, information sheets and checklists to help PCBUs in the construction industry to identify and manage the risks of exposure to dusts, gases, fumes and vapours associated with occupational lung diseases.
Why not check out the animations too?