Controlling exposure to prevent occupational lung disease in industry

Due to its rapid growth, the construction industry is a particular focus with specialist training urgently needed, especially for younger employees new to the workforce. It is essential that exposure control programmes are implemented.

Exposure control programmes, including monitoring, are established to ensure workers are using the correct PPE when performing activities that could expose them to toxic substances. For employers, these programmes ensures consistent fit-for-purpose PPE is provided to workers, along with regular training to monitor and assess their usage to help reduce the number of workers contracting preventable diseases in the workplace.

With the emphasis of these initiatives being employer responsibility, constant monitoring of workplaces for toxic metals, including Manganese and Chrome VI, which have the potential to cause fatal illnesses such as lung cancer, is essential. Even during the various lockdown periods, when many businesses weren’t able to complete work as they normally would, our laboratories noted more than 60 requests related to weld fumes, a clear indicator that businesses are fully aware of their responsibility and are determined to ensure their employees are working within the designated work

Key limits include:

• Chrome VI AT 0.05 mg/m3
• Manganese at 0.2 mg/m3 (Inhalable Fraction) and 0.05 mg/m3
• Total Inhalable Dust at 10 mg/m3
• Total Respirable Dust at 4 mg/m3