1 Nov 2015
As with the
recycling of most construction materials, environmental and human safety issues
must be addressed. The Construction & Demolition Recycling Association
(CDRA) suggest that possible issues of concern for operators include the
potential presence of lead-based paint and asbestos in buildings. Dust and
fibres from these substances are hazardous to long term health and crystalline
silica, metal dust and fiberglass have also been identified as key
hazards. Dust and fibres from these
sources as well as many other nuisance dusts need to be monitored.
With 19,000
workers at the very least estimated to be working in the construction and demolition
recycling industry, it is worth examining how best to monitor dust in order to
prevent occupational lung diseases. [1] An
increasing number of construction and demolition businesses are recognising
that they can both comply with legislation and improve their productivity and
profitability by using sampling pumps, a valuable tool with which to protect
employee health.
In addition to
protective clothing and accessories, the preservation of health in the
construction and demolition workplace can be strongly supported by exposure monitoring
tools. This includes personal air
sampling pumps used to monitor the presence of harmful dusts in the workplace.
Respirable dust, which is the most harmful size fraction, is not visible
to the naked eye, so workers are all too often unaware that this type of
exposure poses a problem. By using a personal sampling pump, industrial
hygienists can quantify the levels of personal exposure.
Most industrial
and manufacturing companies have embraced health and safety as an established
part of their business processes. Health
and safety practices are based on an assessment of risk, with accident
prevention measures and basic employee training being the initiatives that are
put in place. Historically, the focus has very much been on accident prevention
rather than industrial hygiene and the long term health of employees. Although
this approach complies with legislation, it is often based on a premise that
health and safety rules are a necessary encumbrance to a business, rather than
essential measures that should be respected, reviewed, enhanced and maybe even
exceeded.
[1]http://www.cdrecycling.org/assets/docs/exec%20summary_cd%20recycling%20impact%20white%20paper.pdf
The designers and
engineers behind instrumentation for industrial hygiene have been working to
provide adequate solutions that companies can use to protect employees from
dusts and fumes but the technology is not new.
Casella developed the very first sampling pump over 60 years ago, but now,
with its class beating performance, simple interface slim ergonomic design, the
new Casella Apex2 embraces the added capabilities of remote Bluetooth
connectivity. This allows trained professionals to monitor the performance of
the pump on multiple employees without preventing them from doing their job.
The move towards
tougher protection and monitoring when it comes to dusts exposure needs to
become an established part of the business processes for most construction and
demolition companies. The successful
implementation of health and safety legislation needs to move beyond a simple
assessment of risk and compliance with the requirements of legislation to
protect the future health of its workers. As a result companies that do dust
monitoring will begin to notice how good health and safety practice protects
profitability. All companies know that
when work days are lost due to workplace injury, or work-related illness, the
site suffers reduced productivity, which affects everyone. Protecting
the long term health of workers will benefit business financially, in terms of
their reputation and also their ongoing relationship with employees. The change to a
responsible culture will be a welcome one for all.
Casella Solutions’
extensive experience allows us to provide quality and highly suitable products for
the construction and demolition sector. All you need to do is ask.
Visit www.casellasolutions.com for more information.
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