Alan McArthur, Technical Specialist for 3M, manufacturers of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) in the UK, discusses some of the issues involved in using masks
There is no room for cynicism or complacency where respiratory hazards exist. They will almost always cause a degree of ill health and could result in death or serious, irreparable harm if adequate protection is not selected, deployed and used correctly.
Statistics from the British Lung Foundation show that respiratory disease is the second biggest killer in the UK and deaths from occupational lung disease are rising rapidly. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) lists silicosis as one of the main causes of occupational ill health to stonemasons yet still many workers in the industry leave themselves exposed to crystalline silica dust without adequate protection.
Crystalline silica is a fundamental constituent in most rocks, sands, clays and also products such as bricks, tiles and concrete. In stone it is usually in the form of quartz that is present in various quantities in stone and in particularly large concentrations in engineered quartz.
When workers grind, chip, cut, polish or carve these materials dust will almost inevitably be produced in respirable sized particles that can be breathed deep into the lungs.
Silica exposure is a major threat to workers in high risk jobs such as stone cutting and masonry and can cause silicosis, an incurable disease that makes breathing more difficult and increases the risk of lung infections. In serious cases silicosis can be disabling and may result in life threatening cancer.
Risks to health can be greatly reduced where exposure to silica is controlled. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the British Industry Safety Federation (BSIF) and personal protective equipment manufacturers 3M have been concerned about inadequacies in the usage of respiratory protection for some time. Research indicates that there are approximately 5.5million employees in some 220,000 workplaces that are potentially at risk of respiratory disease and that 2.6million employees already use respiratory protection3.
By law, employers must comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) and ensure that employees are not exposed to silica dust above the current Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) of 0.1mg/m3. This should be managed through a thorough risk assessment that should also highlight any other potential hazards and make suggestions on how to minimise them.
Minimising them could involve a change of practice, such as using stone with a lower silica content; using engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation; using different work processes to reduce exposure; or deploying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Training should be given to all employees to help them do their job in the correct way and to avoid breathing in dust. However, in many instances when working with silica dust, PPE and in particular Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) will be necessary.
Choosing the right disposable respirator can be a daunting process.
Respirable crystalline silica is a particulate hazard and can therefore be captured on filters. A range of reusable, disposable and powered respirators can be used, depending on personal preference and the level of protection required.
Different processes cause different levels of exposure to dust and the level of protection offered by a respirator must be high enough to reduce exposure sufficiently.
3M provide advice, information and technical support on the selection and use of PPE. There are dedicated technical helplines (0870 60 800 60 for the UK while the number for Ireland is 1800 320 500) that will guide callers through the process of specifying correct PPE and help them find solutions that meet their needs. This helps those with health and safety responsibilities to specify PPE with the correct level of protection and advises them how to keep it properly maintained.
As well as product selection, there can also be an issue with equipment not being fitted properly.
Respirators with a tight fitting facepiece must only be used by clean shaven wearers. Users should also be fit tested to ensure the model of respirator chosen can seal well to their face.
HSE guidance on fit testing stipulates that where fit testing is required, it must be conducted by a competent person.
Until now, fit testers of RPE have not been accredited, making the selection of a competent person uncertain. There may be a lack of knowledge, skills, experience or understanding of fit testing, or these skills may have deteriorated over time. Either way, the wearer of the equipment will be risking potential health problems if the equipment is ill-fitting.
An accreditation scheme for fit testers has now been launched. Called the BSIF Fit2Fit accreditation scheme, it has been developed in collaboration with industry and HSE. By substantially increasing the correct fitting of RPE, the aim is to significantly reduce instances of occupational ill-health.
The Fit2Fit scheme is designed to confirm the competency of any person performing face fit testing by passing an industry recognised exam, demonstrating that they have a thorough knowledge of HSE guidance on fit testing and that they know how to fit test in practical circumstances.
The Fit2Fit scheme gives employers the assurance that their in-house fit testers, or commercial fit testers, have had their competency assessed.
It can be difficult to keep up-to-date with health and safety legislation but it is essential to ensure the safety of anyone exposed to any potential hazards. Advice and guidance is available from a variety of sources including 3M and the HSE and should be sought to ensure all workers are and remain protected, reducing the risk of developing a debilitating disease.
Further information
Reporting industrial diseases and accidents under RIDDOR. Hotline: 0845 300 9923. Or forms can be filled in on-line.
www.hse.gov.uk/riddor
There is a lot of information about silicosis, local exhaust ventilation systems and hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), as well as a wealth of information regarding health & safety issues on the website of the Health & Safety Executive.
www.hse.gov.uk
3M technical helpline for advice on PPE
UK – Tel: 0870 60 800 60
Ireland – Tel: 1800 320 500
The UK Rainwater Harvesting Association is the umbrella body for the industry and will be able to refer you to suitable companies to help with collecting rainwater.
www.ukrha.org
More on saving water and other environmental issues
www.netregs.gov.uk
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Suppliers of dust extraction and water recycling equipment
Accurite
Tel: 01229 480800 www.accurite.co.uk
Combined Masonry Supplies
Tel: 01274 730100
www.masonrysupplies.co.uk
Harbro
Tel: 01388 605363 www.harbrosupplies.com
AJ Lopez & Co
Tel: 0208 544 9980
National Masonry
Tel: 01388 488900 www.nationalmasonry.com
New Stone Age
Tel: 01535 647222 www. newstoneage.co.uk
The Waters Group
Tel: 0845 658 5758 www.watersgroupltd.co.uk