INGENIEUR
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term hearing problems and can be a dangerous distraction , a common cause of accidents .
Beware that using simple earplugs does not necessarily offer total protection against hearing damage – employers are required to carry out and document a comprehensive noise risk assessment and issue appropriate PPE .
5 . Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome Hand-arm vibration syndrome , or ‘ blue finger ’ as it is commonly referred to , is a painful and debilitating industrial disease of the blood vessels , nerves and joints , triggered by the prolonged use of vibratory power tools and ground working equipment .
This industrial disease is frequently cited in compensation claim cases opened by exconstruction workers who worked for years with little or no protection , using inappropriate and poorly maintained equipment .
6 . Material & Manual Handling Materials and equipment are being constantly lifted and moved around on a construction site , whether manually or with the use of lifting equipment . Different trades will involve greater demands , but all may involve some degree of risk .
Where the employee ’ s duties involve manual handling , adequate training must be carried out . Where lifting equipment is used , adequate training must also be carried out but may involve some form of test , to confirm competency . Records of training must be maintained for verification .
7 . Collapse Not exactly a hazard , more a risk – an accident in waiting .
Every year , excavations and trenches collapse , burying and seriously injuring people working in them . Precautions need to be planned before the work starts .
The risk of an unintended collapse is generally more associated with demolition works or partially completed buildings and collapsing scaffolding but they still account for a percentage of fatalities each year .
8 . Asbestos Today there is a new generation of construction workers — joiners , electricians and plumbers — for whom asbestos is seen as a historical problem , something from the past that ’ s now long gone , but that is a mistake .
9 . Airborne Fibres & Materials – Respiratory Diseases Construction sites are a hive of activity and kick up a lot of dust which often is an invisible , fine , toxic mixture of hazardous materials and fibres that can damage the lungs , leading to diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases , asthma and silicosis .
10 . Electricity On average , three construction industry workers are electrocuted each year during refurbishment work on commercial and domestic buildings . People working near overhead power lines and cables are also at risk . There is also a growing number of electrocutions involving workers who are not qualified electricians but who are carrying out electrical work , such as plumbers , joiners and decorators .
Indoor Air Quality - US Department of Labour
The quality of air inside offices , schools , and other workplaces is important , not only for workers ’ comfort but also for their health . Poor indoor air quality ( IAQ ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches , fatigue , trouble concentrating , and irritation of the eyes , nose , throat and lungs . Also , some diseases , like asthma , have been linked to specific air contaminants and damp indoor environments . In addition , some exposures , such as to asbestos and radon , do not cause immediate symptoms but can lead to cancer after many years .
Many factors affect IAQ . These factors include poor ventilation ( lack of outside air ), problems controlling temperature , high or low humidity , recent remodelling , and other activities in or near a building that can affect the fresh air coming into the building . Sometimes , specific contaminants like dust from construction or renovation , mould , cleaning supplies , pesticides , or other airborne chemicals ( including small amounts of chemicals released as a gas over time ) may cause poor IAQ .
54 VOL 96 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2023