healthhazards in construction
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hazards in constructionTRANSCRIPT
Health Hazards in Construction
John Newquist
Draft 3 1 11
Worst Job?
Introduction
• Top Ten Health Issues found by OSHA• Problem correlated to Overexposures• Effect Measure• Best Practices
• Sampling Data 2004-2010, Region V, all industries
Risk Factors in Construction
• Daily change vs. fixed establishment
• Many contractors at onsite who may create problems for you
• Turnover; who is responsible to train new employees?
• Several tasks during the day
Factors increasing the health risk of construction workers include:
Illness Prevention Basics• Management leadership• Employee Participation• Hazard Prevention and
Control• Education and Training• Program Evaluation and
Improvement• Communication and
coordination on multiemployer sites
• These elements exists in some form in….
• 2100 VPP Companies• 1600 SHARPs• 1926.20, 1926.21• 1910.119• ANSI Z9.10• OHSAS 18001• States AR, CA, LA, HI,
MN, MT NV, NH, NY, OR, WA
Clean Air Paradox
• Quality of Air• 78.1% Nitrogen• 20.9% Oxygen• 0.9% Argon• 0.03% Carbon
Dioxide
Units Seem Small
1 % = 10,000 ppmPEL = Permissible
Exposure Limits (OSHA)
5 Mg/M3 is very small2 f/cc = 2,000,000f/M3
Health Effects
• Irritation• Asphyxiation• Organ Specific Effects• Mutagen• Teratogen• Acute/Chronic• Reversible vs.
Nonreversible
Factors
• Genetics• Age• Health status• Route of entry• Frequency and
duration of exposure
Exposure Limits
• Animal Studies• Epidemiological
studies• Industrial Experience• STEL – 15 minutes• Ceiling – never
exceeded• Threshold Limit Value
Sampling
• Qualified person• Appropriate
instrument• Duration of sampling• Pre and post
calibration
Hierarchy of Controls
• Engineering• Administrative• Personal Protective
Equipment• Training
Past Health Hazards• 400 BC Hippocrates
describes lead poisoning in mines
• 1473 Ellenbog – Mercury Poisoning
• 1700 Dr. Ramazzini published the first edition of his most famous book, the De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (Diseases of Workers)
“I can hire one-half the working class to kill the other half.” Jay Gould
Problem #1 Noise
• BLS
• 125,000+ workers w permanent, hearing loss since 2004
• In 2008 alone, 22,000 hearing loss cases were reported
#1 Noise• 70% construction workers
were exposed to over 85dba*
• 30% over 90 dba* • Hearing Protection worn
20%*• Several processes
involving hammering, cutting, blasting will cause overexposure
• Set up an effective hearing conservation program
REMEMBER!
• The aforementioned applies to overexposures above 90 dBA TWA (Time-Weighted-Average)
““Effective Effective hearing conservation hearing conservation program?”program?”
Monitoring
Engineering, work practice, and administrative controls
Hearing protectors with an adequate noise reduction rating
Employee training and education in hazards and protection measures
Baselines and annual audiometry
Audiograms
• Conduct a baseline analysis on all equipment (New too!)
• Employees can request personal noise monitoring at any time at VPP sites
• 60 employees were tested in IL. It cost $29.00 per person plus some labor cost (VPP)
• Insurance carrier will charge $35.00 per person. (VPP site)
#2 Lead
• Many bridges have lead coated surfaces
• Requires compliance with 1926.62
• Overexposure can occur in less than 5 minutes when torch cutting or painting Lead coating of bridge beams
usually requires an enclosure
Lead effects
• Chronic overexposure - severe damage to the blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems
• High levels will require medical removal • Bridge Painting/Removal continues to be
ones of the consistent lead issues in construction
#3 Silica
• Cutting, hammering, drilling, blasting can create high silica levels
• Use wet methods and wear respirators
• One of the oldest occupational diseases
Tuckpointing has one of the highest silica
generating process in construction
Silica
• 150-200 deaths a year (2004)
• 1150-1200 deaths a year (1968)
• Yet….one company had 3 silicosis and 10x+ severe respiratory diseases
#4 Copper Fumes - Welding
• Copper is inhalation hazard affecting respiratory system
• Mild steel (red iron) and carbon steel contain manganese
• Manganese may cause Parkinson's disease
What do you see?
#5 Total Dust
• All the things not regulated.
• Good, bad, or indifferent?
• Air blowing!
#6 Iron Oxide -Welding
• Metal fume fever • Direct Draw or forced
ventilation should be used
• Personal Protective Equipment should be used
• Bystanders should be protected as well
#7 Carbon Monoxide
• Generators are most common problem of CO
• Heaters out of tune are another cause
• CO TWA is 50 ppm• Others set levels 25
ppm
#8 Hex Chrome
• Stainless steel contains nickel and chromium
• Some cements
# 9 Cadmium
• Overexposure to cutting cadmium bolts, coated poles
• Torch cutting should never be used
• Use hydraulic bolt cutters
• Comply with 1926.1127 Cadmium bolts are often
found in sprinkler pipe use.
#10 Methylene Chloride• Paint stripping• Parts cleaners• Cancer causing
Asbestos
• Common Fireproofing material used pre- 1980s
• Found in pipe insulation, ceiling tiles, and floor tiles
• Must comply with 1926.1101
Heat Stress• Train the workforce • Perform the heaviest work in the
coolest part of the day• Slowly build up tolerance to the
heat and the work activity (usually takes up to two weeks)
• Drink plenty of cool water (one cup every 15-20 minutes)
• Wear light, loose-fitting, breathable (cotton) clothing
• Take frequent short breaks in cool or shaded areas
• Provide fans
Paint Solvents
• Ventilation is required or overexposure can result
• Fire Hazard • Electrical must be
Class I if within 20 feet during open spraying with flammable paints
Tank painting. What could go wrong?
Waterproofing
• Volatile compounds are heavier than air and toxic.
• Death• Hazards similar to a
confined space
Confined Spaces
• Manholes, pits, vaults, tanks, are common confined spaces
• Ensure atmosphere is safe by testing and ventilating
Worker in a sludge pit exposed to lead, arsenic, and
cadmium
Diesel Fuel Exhaust• blue smoke (mainly oil and
unburnt fuel) • black smoke (soot, oil and
unburnt fuel); • white smoke (water droplets
and unburnt fuel)• Diesel Fuel Exhaust is
reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen per IARC
What else is toxic in this ????
Back Strains
• Many workers out in construction with bad backs
• Due to lifting and twisting constantly
• Heavy loads should have assistance via machines or another person
Workers shoveling under a pipe. Safe or unsafe job?
Knee Strains
• Housekeeping often a common cause
• Several $50,000 cases
West Nile
• Use DEET or lemon eucalyptus based sprays for protection
• Clothing can be treated with Permethrin
• Wear light color clothing and reduce exposed skin
On The Horizon• Silica?• Noise?• Confined Space
in Construction?
Resources
• WISHA has a good health in construction presentation at http://wisha-training.lni.wa.gov/training/presentations/HealthHaz.pps
Quiz• CO PEL is ___ ppm.• Name one place where cadmium can be found in
construction. ______________• ____% Oxygen is in normal air.• Which color smoke from a diesel engine is a concern?
__________________• Overexposure can occur in less than ____ minutes
when torch cutting lead painted surfaces• The Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is for ____
minutes
Summary
• A baseline hazard analysis for normal routine tasks is accomplished by use of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
Further• This ppt was prepared by John Newquist as a
preliminary aid for people required to evaluate health hazards in construction
• Thanks to Kim Stille and Richard Gilgrist for the many training sessions on the subject
• Janet Schulte for corrections and suggestions. • This is not an official OSHA publication. Those
will be on the OSHA.gov website. • My contact information is
[email protected] or 312-353-5977 if you see any errors.
• This is a draft as of the date on the first slide.