This issue we are focusing on workplace respiratory hazards and have packaged the relevant guidance for you.

Worker exposure to hazardous airborne substances without the appropriate health hazard identification and mitigation can lead to serious respiratory illness. These exposures can also compromise a worker’s ability to resist respiratory illnesses that are part and parcel of the winter season.

We cover:

• The latest report on work-related health issues our inspectors see
• Information about welding fumes being classified as a carcinogen
• Protecting workers with respiratory protective equipment
• Managing silica dust
• Local exhaust ventilation systems
• Controlling construction dust
• Keeping safe from carbon monoxide poisoning
• A warning on a new E.coli strain
• Unseen health risks on the farm
• New online tool for SMEs on workplace health and wellbeing
• Clean air in action in Manukau
• Our Construction Lead Vadim Spice on making construction industry work safer from dust

Airborne substances hazardous to health can be in dust, mist, vapour or gas form. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) filters the air workers are breathing in. See our updated fact sheets for PCBUs and for workers on using RPE.

Dust containing respirable crystalline silica particles can be breathed deep into the lungs, causing serious harm to workers. Our updated Silica dust in the workplace fact sheet contains information for PCBUs and workers about the risks and how to manage them.

Many work processes create harmful dusts, vapours and fumes that contaminate the air. A local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system can reduce contamination and minimise worker exposure to breathing in these substances. See our updated Local Exhaust Ventilation quick guide for more information.

Regularly breathing in construction dust can make workers extremely unwell. Using on-tool extraction can help to minimise the amount of dust workers are exposed to. See our new Controlling Construction Dust quick guide for advice on how to choose, use and manage on-tool extraction.

Carbon monoxide is a common poison that can cause serious illness and death. Workers may become unwell from breathing in emissions containing carbon monoxide from sources such as:

• incompletely burned carbon-based material (eg wood, paper, fuel)
• cars, trucks, forklifts, small portable petrol engines, etc.
• kilns, furnaces and fuel-powered boilers
• welding
• plastics moulding
• space heaters, oil or gas heaters
• fires and explosions

See our fact sheet on carbon monoxide for more. 

Welding fumes have recently been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organization. We will reconsider our workplace exposure standard (WES) for total welding fumes in light of this information and will consider removing the WES for total fumes. Instead the WES for the fumes' constituents would be used eg iron oxide, chromium, nickel etc. 

An issue focussing on workplace respiratory hazards wouldn’t be complete without a mention of our clean air programme.

Its initial goal was to reduce the risk of respiratory disease caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica and organic solvents in construction and manufacturing. Last year it moved on to raise awareness of risks from welding fumes, wood dust and carbon monoxide in the manufacturing and construction sectors. The next focus is likely to be on agrichemicals and fertiliser spreading, through our agriculture programme. 

Keep an eye out for more on the clean air programme in future updates. We will also be engaging directly with farmers and agriculture industries.

Poor understanding of health risks associated with airborne hazards for Manukau precast concrete workers has resulted in our awareness-raising series of visits to manufacturers.

Nine companies are now better equipped to protect nearly 1,000 workers from potential airborne hazards in their workplaces.

The risks were identified during the roll-out of our clean air programme last year. They included:

• high potential for long and short term exposure to silica for plant workers
• significant deficits in controls around silica in the workplace
• poor understanding of measuring silica exposure levels
• poor controls around the use of hazardous substances

PCBU and worker awareness was particularly low for silica dust contamination prevention outside work – for example, in cars and homes.

Local companies worked closely with us during the programme of visits. The initiative has been welcomed by the national precast industry which believes issues raised in Manukau are likely to be widespread.

We are considering options to expand the assessment programme nationwide. Watch this space. You can find out more about the clean air programme on our website.

Our Construction Sector Lead, Vadim Spice, features in the latest issue of New Zealand Hardware Journal talking about making construction industry workers safer from fine dust. Read what Vadim has to say in the 'Lets clear the air' article.

Farming is seen as a healthy lifestyle, offering time outdoors, physical activity and a variety of work. But everyday tasks can expose farmers to a range of health hazards. Some hazards might not seem obvious but can have serious effects on health over time. And it’s not just about what you breathe in.

Our principal advisor for work-related health, Sue Cotton, talked to Inside Dairy recently to run through some on-farm work-related health risks and how to avoid them. 

Shiga toxin producing E.coli (STEC) is a nasty toxin producing bacteria that spreads easily and can have life threatening consequences, especially for young children living on and around farms. It’s important to focus on personal hygiene and good handwashing techniques. 

For more specific information about the symptoms to be aware of and how to help prevent STEC from spreading go to the Taranaki Public Health’s online information.

A new online health and wellbeing assessment tool for small to medium businesses (SMEs), Good4Work, has been launched. SMEs indicated they wanted an online tool that would help them improve health and wellbeing in their workplace. The tool starts with a quiz to rate your workplace against 22 statements intended to encompass key elements for a positive workplace culture and environment.

Our health and safety assessment inspectors see a lot of work-related health issues on workplace visits. It’s interesting to note three of the four most common health issues inspectors discussed with businesses related to respiratory hazards: silica, wood dust and asbestos. Noise also makes the top four.

Read the 2016 July-December front-line view on our website.

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