Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety Executive

Cancer: An occupational health

challenge for the profession

…..in construction

Ian Strudley

Head of Health Risk Management Unit

HSE Construction Sector

What I’ll do…..

• What’s the problem ?..........

• What priorities are HSE ( and IOSH !) taking forward….

• What’s next ????

Background

• HSE’s former Chief Inspector Heather Bryant :

“ We recognise the construction sector’s progress in reducing the number of people killed and injured by its activities. But it is clear from these figures why there is an unacceptable toll of ill-health and fatal disease in the industry. We will make sure the construction industry thinks health, as well as safety. “

Together, we can make a difference

THE biggest risk to construction workers

Occupational Cancer:

Burden of occupational cancer

Lesley Rushton et al

Imperial College

London:

http://www.nature.com/

bjc/journal/v107/n1s/index.html

What’s the problem … ?

• Occupational cancers = 5.3% of total– 2005 deaths 8010– 2004 registrations 13598– 56% registrations in construction

Top 10 causes of cancer registrations attributable to occupational carcinogens (Rushton/HSE)

Rank Agent/activity Number of Registrations/year

1 Asbestos 4216

2 Shiftwork 1957

3 Mineral oils 1730

4 Solar radiation 1541

5 Silica 907

6 Diesel engine exhaust 801

7 Coal tars and pitches 545

8 Painters 359

9 Tertachlorodibenzodioxin 316

10 Tobacco 284

Where’s the problem…?

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Cancer Site

Nu

mb

er o

f R

egis

trat

ion

s

Total Registrations

Construction Workers

What’s causing the problem ?

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Num

bers

affe

cted

Total Registrations

Construction Registrations

Construction Deaths

Where’s the problem ? – in construction

• Asbestos

• Solar radiation

• Silica

• Painters

• Diesel engine exhaust emissions

• PAHs – Coal tars / pitches

What’s HSE been doing…..

HSE Inspection initiatives:• ‘Health initiative’

• Refurbishment initiative

– What are we looking at…..– What aren’t we looking at…..

Health initiative

– 2 week focus on health interventions– 500 inspections– Operational guidance detailing enforcement

expectations to be issued on leading health risk issues

Health initiative

• Focus on :– Respiratory risks from silica / dusts– (other) Hazardous substances– Manual handling– Noise– Vibration

• Whilst maintaining push on :– Asbestos risks– Welfare

HSE plan of work

Thereafter, have been focusing a consolidated effort on :

HSE plan of work

• Silica

HSE plan of work

• Other hazardous substances

HSE plan of work

• Manual handling

HSE plan of work

• Noise and vibration

HSE plan of work

• Welfare

HSE plan of work

• Asbestos

Is there still a problem ?

2014 Health initiative ??:

• 570 site visits

• 13 Prohibition Notices

• 108 Improvement Notices

• 267 Notices of Contravention

2014 Health initiative

Is there still a problem ?

2014 refurbishment initiative:

• Commonest health issues :– Dust – 12%– Welfare – 12%– Asbestos – 10%

• Health related enforcement action carried out:– 46 PNs were served out of a total of 314 – 92 INs were served out of a total of 221

2014 (Health in ) Refurbishment Inspection Initiative - Enforcement

• Asbestos : PNs 24, INs 24

• Dust : PNs 21, INs 31

• Manual handling : PN 1

• Welfare : 33 Ins

• Vibration : 3 Ins

• Noise : 1 IN

2014 Health Initiative

• 13 Prohibition Notices;

• 108 Improvement Notices

• 267 Notices of Contravention issued at 146 sites

Notices of Contravention

Dust

Welfare

MSD

Vibration

Other Substances

Noise

Improvement Notices

Dust

Welfare

MSD

Vibration

Other Substances

Noise

Other (Management)

2014 Refurbishment Initiative

• Health and Safety Inspection of smaller refurb sites:– 537 Notices (including 2 ELCI)– 314 PNs (including 46 on health)– 221 INs (including 92 on health)

52%46%

2%

Prohibition Notices

Asbestos Dust Manual Handling

26%

34%

1%

3%

36%

Improvement Notices

Asbestos Dust Noise Vibration Welfare

2014 Health Inspection Initiatives - Conclusions : dusts

• Most significant enforcement area but still an improving picture:

• Contractors starting to look more at removing risk or improving available controls.

• Risk awareness amongst larger contractors is generally high but let down by application.

2014 Health Inspection Initiatives- Conclusions : dusts

• Focus has moved on from silica to include other dusts.

• Much greater appreciation / use of extraction systems but not always to the correct standard and dry sweeping remains an issue.

• Reliance on RPE

What to do .….?

Occupational Risks v Lifestyle Issues

What to do …..?

Surveillance/Monitoring? Risk Control?

What to do …..?

• ‘Control the risk not the symptoms’– Monitoring and health surveillance are not enough

on their own. The first priority is to stop people being harmed

• ‘Manage risk, not lifestyle’– Helping workers tackle lifestyle issues may be

beneficial but is not a substitute for preventing work-related ill health.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/index.htm

HSE website guidance :How healthy is your business?

IOSH : campaign on occupational cancer

IOSH - No time to lose ….

• 50+ work-related carcinogens – focusing on :– Diesel engine exhaust– Solar radiation– Silica– Shiftwork– Asbestos

IOSH - No time to lose …. www.notimetolose.org.uk

What’s next ?

Think Health!

–Greater focus on health, not just by HSE…

Thank you for listening

any questions ?

Ian Strudley

HM Principal Inspector

Head of Health Risk Management Unit

Construction Division

HSE

01256 404085

ian.strudley@hse.gsi.gov.uk