This document provides an overview of various health hazards construction workers may be exposed to, including chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic hazards. It describes examples of specific hazards like asbestos, silica dust, solvents, heavy metals, noise, vibration, temperature extremes, and confined spaces. The risks to different trades are outlined. Both acute and chronic health effects from chemical exposures are discussed.

1. Monday Morning Safety Meeting Health Hazards in Construction Updated 8/23/10

3. Introduction Construction work is dynamic, diverse, and constantly changing. This poses a great challenge in protecting the health and safety of construction workers. Construction workers are at risk of exposure to various health hazards that can result in injury, illness, disability, or even death.

6. Some Examples of Construction Health Hazards Occupations Potential Health Hazards Brick masons Cement dermatitis, awkward postures, heavy loads Drywall installers Plaster dust, heavy loads, awkward postures Electricians Heavy metals in solder fumes, awkward posture, heavy loads, asbestos Painters Solvent vapors, toxic metals in pigments, paint additives Pipefitters Lead fumes and particles, welding fumes, asbestos dust Carpet layers Knee trauma, awkward postures, glue and glue vapor Insulation workers Asbestos, synthetic fibers, awkward postures Roofers Roofing tar, heat Carpenters Noise, awkward postures, repetitive motion Drillers, earth, rock Silica dust, whole-body vibration, noise Excavating and loading machine operators Silica dust, histoplasmosis, whole-body vibration, heat stress, noise Hazardous waste workers Heat stress, toxic chemicals

9. Chemical Hazards Some chemicals can have both acute and chronic effects, e.g., carbon monoxide. Two types of health effects from chemical exposure HEALTH EFFECTS EXPOSURE EXAMPLE ACUTE Appears immediately or within short time following exposure, (minutes or hours); death possible from some hazardous substances Typically sudden, short-term, high concentration Headache, collapse or death from high levels of carbon monoxide CHRONIC Usually develops slowly, as long as 15-20 years or more Continued or repeated for a prolonged period, usually years Lung cancer from exposure to asbestos

10. Asbestos asbestos pipe insulation Construction workers may be exposed to asbestos during demolition or remodeling of older buildings built before 1980 which can contain asbestos insulation, or other asbestos containing products Asbestos exposure can cause breathing problems, lung cancer and cancer of the lung lining many years after exposure. AVOID BREATHING AIRBORNE ASBESTOS FIBERS

11. Welding Fumes Welding fumes contain a variety of chemicals depending on what is being welded on, chemical makeup of welding rods, fluxes and shielding gases. Generally, welding in confined spaces or welding on stainless steel which generates hexavalent chromium, are the most hazardous welding activities. Welding on a stainless steel tank Welding in a confined space

12. Solvents A variety of solvents with varying degrees of toxicity are used in construction. They are in paints, glues, epoxies and other products. Generally, the possibility of exposure to excessive amounts of solvent vapors is greater when solvents are handled in enclosed or confined spaces. Solvents can: - Irritate your eyes, nose or throat, - Make you dizzy, high, sleepy, give you a headache or cause you to pass out, - Affect your judgment or coordination, - Cause internal damage to your body, - Dry out or irritate your skin.

13. Silica – more than just dust Silica or quartz dust exposure is very common in construction from drilling, cutting or grinding on concrete, sandblasting, rock drilling or in masonry work. Exposure to excessive silica dust causes lung scarring and lung disease over time. Brick cutting Concrete cutting Blowing concrete dust with compressed air

14. Lead Construction workers can be exposed to lead on bridge repair work, lead paint removal on metal structures or buildings or demolition of old buildings with lead paint, or using lead solder. Lead is highly toxic and can cause severe, long term health problems.

15. Confined Spaces Exposure to chemicals or lack of oxygen in confined spaces can be deadly. Airborne chemicals can quickly reach dangerous levels in confined spaces that are not ventilated. Carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, welding fumes and solvent vapors are typical confined space chemical hazards. In some confined spaces, oxygen deficiency will cause the person entering to instantly collapse. Confined spaces include manholes, sewers, vaults, tanks, and boilers in new construction or in repair and maintenance work. As many co-workers who attempt rescue die in confined spaces as the original worker who collapsed.

17. Physical Hazards – Noise Noise levels of some common construction equipment Prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels can cause noise - induced hearing loss. Noise levels above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. When you are exposed to excessive noise levels, the first stage is temporary hearing loss. Over time, the hearing loss becomes permanent . Decibels; 8 hours at 50 feet Equipment 70 80 90 100 110 120 Front loader Backhoe Tractor Truck Concrete mixer Pump Compressor Pneumatic wrench Jackhammer Power saw

30. Multiple health hazards In some cases, workers can be exposed to several health hazards at the same time or on the same worksite over time. This worker is simultaneously exposed to noise, silica dust, vibration and ergonomic hazards.