Protecting Workers’ Health in Construction
Construction workers can be exposed to dusts, fumes, chemicals and other hazards that can cause serious long-term illness.
Occupational disease is preventable.
Managing Health Risks
Occupational disease and illness can be prevented – it is possible for construction work to be carried out without causing ill-health, provided risks are properly eliminated, managed and controlled.
This requires a concerted effort by everyone, to recognise the hazards to health, evaluate the degree of exposure, and implement effective and reliable control measures. Health risks should be managed as part of an overall system to prevent or control health and safety risks.
Different terms are used within the industry to describe separate elements of the ‘health’ part of health and safety, which causes some confusion. “Occupational health”, “occupational hygiene”, and “wellbeing/health promotion” are distinct but overlapping disciplines that should complement each other and work together in a multidisciplinary approach, as depicted in the diagram.
Occupational Hygiene
is the science-based discipline aimed at identifying and preventing exposure to harmful substances in the workplace, such as asbestos and cement dusts, welding fumes and gases, and spray-painting mists.
Occupational hygienists help employers to control the risks by designing out the hazards, applying engineering controls to reduce exposure to the minimum, using administrative measures to minimise risk, selecting appropriate PPE, or a combination of these.
Occupational Health
is the term used in the construction industry for managing the effect of work on the health of individual employees, and the effect an employee’s health may have on his/her work. It is a two-way process.
Occupational health service providers offer a range of services delivered by specialist staff. They contribute to risk assessments and carry out other services such as fitness for work, medicals, health surveillance, rehabilitation and drug and alcohol screening to pick up health issues.
Wellbeing
Wellbeing is about being contented and comfortable with your quality of life, psychologically, physically and socially. As work significantly affects overall wellbeing, promoting and maintaining employee wellbeing can improve productivity, commitment and attendance.
Protecting workers’ health in construction is a major challenge. Specialist support helps identify hazards, evaluate risks, control exposures, manage health issues and promote workplace wellbeing. Understanding how different disciplines contribute and complement each other is vital to reducing work-related illnesses.