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Look after your lungs
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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
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Clean air in action in Manukau
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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.
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