Ballast Dust – Management Introduction

23/10/2012 BDWG/Mgr/ppt/002

Ballast Dust Working GroupPresentation – covers:

1. Why are we looking at this…

2. Overview

3. Occupational Exposure Monitoring

4. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

5. Safe Systems of Work

6. Respiratory Protective Equipment

7. Communications

8. Behavioural Change

9. Reporting

10. What do you need to do?

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• What is silica, where is it found? – Many minerals contain silica, and produce silica dust known as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS). RCS is

also known as respirable α-quartz, cristobalite, or ‘free silica’. – Silica can be found (up to 30%) in Ballast which is granite

• The risks – Inhaling RCS can lead to development of silicosis. Silicosis is a serious and irreversible lung disease that

causes permanent disablement and early death, and it is made worse by smoking. – All RCS is hazardous. ‘Respirable’ means that the dust is invisibly fine, and gets deep into the lungs.

• What does it mean to us?– The BDWG has been created to protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees and other people

who might be affected by ballast handling activities within the Rail Industry by identifying the risks, establishing controls and working towards risk avoidance for ballast dust

Ballast Dust – Management IntroductionBallast Dust – 1. Why are we looking at this?

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•National Control - Quarries– Existing controls found to be sufficient and in line with HSE Guidelines

•Regional Control – Local Distribution Centres (LDCs)– Ballast is received into LDCs and further handling causes attrition

• Stockpiles are rotated and volume managed to prevent ‘scraping’

• Stockpiles are doused routinely

• Stockpiles are periodically QC tested for fines and contaminants

• Review SSoW to further reduce risks

• Local Control – Depots and Worksites– Identified as the last line of defence where marginal controls should be employed

– SSoW and COSHH review on ballast handling activities to reduce risks

– RPE enforcement through procedure and risk assessment where required

Ballast Dust – Management IntroductionNational, Regional and Local Controls – 2. Overview

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Ballast Dust – Management Introduction3. Occupational Exposure Monitoring (OEM)

• A ‘collaborative approach’ to the measurement of exposure to Ballast Dust

• Developed Pro Forma for OEM to allow comparable analysis

• Baseline industry data being obtained for 12 common activities and 4 LDCs

• Allows site performance data to be collated

• Determination of ‘Actual’ risk as oppose to ‘Perceived’ risk

• Plan for on going monitoring in 2013 and beyond

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•Focussed on documenting risks and implementing controls for the exposure to specific work activities involving Ballast generating Ballast Dust

•Development of an activity specific COSHH Risk Assessment (see Line Managers presentation on COSHH)

•Briefing on health hazards and control measures

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction4. COSHH

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• Focussed on documenting risks and implementing Safe Systems of Work to control risks associated with specific work activities involving Ballast generating Ballast Dust

• Development of an activity specific SSoW Risk Assessment resource

• Development of industry wide MEMORY Cards

• Briefing on risks, hazards and control measures

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction5. SSoW

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• Focussed on specifying the RPE requirements for specific work activities involving Ballast generating Ballast Dust

• Actions on site (lead by example)– Existing RPE solutions; FFP3 and air fed respirators

• Procedure on RPE developed

• Supporting Training Presentation on RPE

• Individual RPE Risk Assessments, where required

• Tool Box Talk on RPE

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction6. Respiratory Protective Equipment

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•Focussed on communicating the risks associated with specific work activities generating Ballast Dust

•Ballast Dust - Management Introduction, (this ppt)

•Ballast Dust - Risks to You•BDWG Posters•BDWG Newsletter•BDWG Tool Box Talk•NDS 24/7 Reporting Sheet

•Safety Central (Occupational Health Page)

•NDS Operations Focus Group (OFG)

•Further information can be found on Safety Central and Opsweb web portals

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction7. Communications

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Ballast Dust – Management Introduction8. Behavioural Change

• Under the ‘Everyone Home Safe Every Day’ campaign the BDWG are working in conjunction with Network Rail to develop a behavioral safety and human factors module on Ballast Dust

• This module will challenge the way we think about the risks we are exposed to and how we can all reduce our exposure

• This program will be rolled out in 2013/14

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•Reporting improvements made in 2012/13…– Additional information is being recorded (weather, activity, source LDC)– New reporting check sheet to be completed– All reported incidents are now logged with NDS 24/7 and monitored– NDS 24/7 is committed to responding to every report logged

•Report all dust issues to the NDS 24/7 on (01908) 723500 or through your local BDWG Representative

and

•Follow the guidelines on the reporting check sheet provided (Reporting sheet available thorough Network Rails Safety Central Web Portal)

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction9. Reporting Dust Issues

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•Receive this presentation…

•Identify high risk activities and people exposed within you business…

•For People Exposed;– Brief out Ballast Dust - Risks to You PowerPoint– Display BDWG Posters– Hand out BDWG Newsletter– Brief out for COSHH, RPE and SSOW

•For Operators of High Risk Activities– Adopt RPE Procedure and supporting Risk Assessments– Adopt and cascade COSHH and SSOW Risk Assessments– Report issues of Ballast Dust to NDS 24/7, as described– Conduct Compliance Checklists monthly– Participate in OEM Program

Ballast Dust – Management Introduction10. What do you need to do?

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Ballast Dust – Management IntroductionDiscussion

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