Working together to beat occupational cancer – spotlight on silica

Occupational Cancer and IOSH’s No Time to Lose Campaign Tim Briggs Chair of Professional Standards Committee IOSH

Cross-industry approach to control dust

NEW cross-industry commitment to tackle silica dust

Elimination - design it out

Lung cancer deaths from silica dust exposure at work – global estimate

28,000 people die every year*

* Dr Jukka Takala and Boon Kiat Tan, Workplace Safety and Health Institute, Singapore. This is an estimate based on measurable data

Lung cancer deaths from silica dust exposure at work – Britain estimate

Around 800 people die a year – an average of 15 a week*

* ‘The burden of occupational cancer in Great Britain’, HSE

IOSH ‘Construction dust – an industry survey’ The survey highlights that a lack of priority is given to dust control by companies

IOSH silica virtual industry focus group The top five barriers to effective silica exposure control : 1. Lack of understanding or awareness of the significance of silica dust as a hazard 2. Resistance from employees to use controls 3. Ineffective implementation of control measures in practice, despite the existence of safe work systems and equipment 4. Not prioritised as a significant hazard by employers 5. Lack of training in using controls effectively

Where is silica found?

Basalt (5%)

Granite (30%) Slate (40%) ARTIFICIAL STONES (upto ~ 95%)

Quartzite (>70%)

Red Brick (30%)

Sandstone (>70%)

Limestone (5%) Concrete (25-70%)

How much silica is there in materials used in working environments?

What is silica dust?

How small are silica dust particles?

The same size as… -  a grain of salt -  a grain of beach sand -  a full stop at the end of a sentence -  a grain of tree pollen?

How can silica dust harm your health?

© Worksafe BC

Health effects

Implementing a dust awareness campaign: Wates Group – ‘Bin the broom’ -  The issue – silica dust caused by cutting, drilling, grinding and

sweeping

-  Goal – to capture dust at source by improving the use of on-tool extraction and suppression solutions

-  Developing the campaign – buy-in from leadership team, engage with supply chain, ‘Plan right’ meetings with staff and subcontractors, ‘Start right’ meeting before each shift

Implementing a dust awareness campaign: Wates Group – ‘Bin the broom’

-  Communicating the campaign – eye-catching posters, leaflets, presentations, staff newsletters, visual standards, product hire brochure

-  Campaign impact – -  40 per cent improvement in on-tool extraction and suppression solutions -  Cost savings on tool hire, skip hire, landfill waste, extraction equipment from cutting materials off-site, less cleaning reduced labour costs -  health is now firmly on the agenda

Other business initiatives

Network Rail Dave Cottle Civil Engineering Ltd

Guidance on making a business case

www.iosh.co.uk/bus_case_eng

www.iosh.co.uk/lifesavings

www.breathefreely.org.uk/occupational-hygiene-the-business-case.html

Pledge to take action

-  Pledge to take action on carcinogenic exposures using our six-point action plan 1. Assess the risks 2. Develop and deliver a prevention strategy 3. Brief managers 4. Engage employees 5. Demand the same standards of your supply chain 6. Report on your progress

-  Join over 80 forward-thinking businesses who have signed up to our pledge

© HSE

IOSH No Time to Lose campaign – www.notimetolose.org.uk