- Construction workers face significant health risks from exposure to silica dust, which can lead to fatal lung diseases like silicosis. Over 500 workers in the UK are estimated to die from silica exposure each year. - Exposure measurement studies show that workers performing tasks like drilling, demolition, and concrete grinding often experience respirable silica exposures above the UK limit of 0.1 mg/m3. Long-term or high-level exposures increase the risk of developing silicosis. - Effective dust control measures during tasks that generate silica dust, such as using water sprays or extraction tools, are needed to reduce worker exposures and health risks from silica.

1. Mike Slater

2. There were 42
fatal injuries to
workers in
Construction in
2013/14
Source: HSE

3. But that’s only part of the story
Construction workers are also exposed to
hazards at work that can affect their health

4. Over 500 workers
believed to die
from exposure to
silica dust every
year in the UK
construction
industry
Source: HSE

6. Crystalline Silica
A major constituent
of almost all types
of rock, sands and
clays

7. Respirable Crystalline Silica
Very fine particles
of crystalline silica
dust can reach the
deepest regions of
the lung

9. Respirable Crystalline Silica
Respirable crystalline
silica can cause
serious lung diseases

10. Respirable Crystalline Silica
Silicosis
Lung cancer

11. Silicosis
Scar tissue forms
in the lungs

12. Silicosis
Seriously affects
the ability to
breathe, affecting
quality of life

13. Silicosis
Sufferers usually
become house or
bed-bound and
often die
prematurely due
to heart failure.

14. Respirable Crystalline Silica
The second most
common cause of
occupational lung
cancer in Great
Britain

15. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000
Other agents
Working as painter
Shift work
Mineral oils
Diesel exhaust emissions
Silica
Asbestos
Occupational cancer deaths by cause in Great Britain, 2005
Source: HSE Research Report rr800

16. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000
Other agents
Working as painter
Shift work
Mineral oils
Diesel exhaust emissions
Silica
Asbestos
Occupational cancer deaths by cause in Great Britain, 2005
Source: HSE Research Report rr800
About 800 deaths every year

17. Respirable Crystalline Silica
There is also some evidence for chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

18. COPD
Image source: British Lung Foundation

19. Workplace Exposure Limit
The UK WEL for respirable crystalline
silica is 0.1 mg/m3
But this is not a “safe” limit

20. Risk of silicosis
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.2 0.24 0.28
Exposure to Air Concentration of RCS for 15 Years
mg.m-3
PercentageRiskofSilicosis
After15YearsWork
Source: HSE

21. Risk of silicosis
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.2 0.24 0.28
Exposure to Air Concentration of RCS for 15 Years
mg.m-3
PercentageRiskofSilicosis
After15YearsWork
Source: HSE

22. Risk of silicosis
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.2 0.24 0.28
Exposure to Air Concentration of RCS for 15 Years
mg.m-3
PercentageRiskofSilicosis
After15YearsWork
Source: HSE
2.5% risk of silicosis
after exposure to 0.1
mg/m3 respirable dust
for only 15 years

23. Silicosis
30 years exposure at
0.1 mg/m3 might lead
to a lifetime silicosis
risk of about 25%,
whereas reduction of
the exposure to 0.05
mg/m3 might reduce
the risk to fewer than
5% (Hnizdo and Sluis-
Cremer 1993).

24. What are the levels of exposure
experienced by construction
workers ?

25. Unfortunately there are no
comprehensive studies for
the UK

26. but there are for some
comparable countries:

28. Drilling concrete
Range
0.01 to 1.36 mg/m3
97% > 0.075mg/m3

29. Range
0.01 to 0.91 mg/m3
71% > 0.075mg/m3
Demolition

30. Range
0.01 to 0.8 mg/m3
92% > 0.075mg/m3
Pointing

32. S. M. RAPPAPORT et al. Ann Occup Hyg 2003;47:111-122
©2003 by Oxford University Press

34. Approximately 69% of subjects performing
concrete grinding were overexposed to
respirable crystalline silica dust.

36. Material and task Range 8-h TWA, mg m−3
Sandstone <0.02b–6.00
Cutting angle grinderc 0.26–1.30
Cutting water-cooled primary saw <0.02–0.13
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02–6.00
Decoration hand and pneumatic chisel <0.02–0.07
Limestone <0.02–0.03
Cutting angle grinderc <0.02
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02
Decoration hand and pneumatic chisel <0.02–0.03
Lime mortar <0.02–0.06
Repointing <0.02–0.06
Granite <0.02–0.21
Cutting water-cooled primary saw <0.02–0.03
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02–0.21

37. Material and task Range 8-h TWA, mg m−3
Sandstone <0.02b–6.00
Cutting angle grinderc 0.26–1.30
Cutting water-cooled primary saw <0.02–0.13
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02–6.00
Decoration hand and pneumatic chisel <0.02–0.07
Limestone <0.02–0.03
Cutting angle grinderc <0.02
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02
Decoration hand and pneumatic chisel <0.02–0.03
Lime mortar <0.02–0.06
Repointing <0.02–0.06
Granite <0.02–0.21
Cutting water-cooled primary saw <0.02–0.03
Grinding angle grinderd <0.02–0.21

39. 8 hour TWA exposures (Geometric means)

40. Task based exposures (Geometric means)

41. What can we do to
reduce the risks to
health?

42. Wellbeing
Health
Surveillance
Risk Prevention
& Control

43. Wellbeing
Health
Surveillance

44. Wellbeing
Health
SurveillanceToo often,
prevention and
control of
exposure is the
missing link

45. Wellbeing
Health
Surveillance
Risk Prevention
& Control
Effective prevention and control of exposure is
the key to minimising the risks to health

47. Some typical control
measures that can be used

48. Here the worker and others in the vicinity can
be exposed to high levels of dust

49. Exposure can be reduced using water

50. Or on-tool extraction

51. A secondary water flow provided a fan-shaped water curtain sprayed normal to the path of the
ejected stone dust.
Jared H. Cooper et al. Ann Occup Hyg 2015;59:122-126
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational
Hygiene Society.
Or both

52. For advice on risks to
health in construction
and how to control
them visit:
www.breathefreely.org.uk

53. Join us and be part of the solution
www.breathefreely.org.uk

54. http://www.slideshare.net/mikeslater
http://diamondenv.wordpress.com
Twitter @diamondenv
Mike Slater

55. Mike Slater, Diamond Environmental Ltd.
This presentation is distributed under the Creative Commons
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