windpipe and lungs.

So where do these risks come from?

There are a number of places…

1. Dust on surfaces

2. Dust exposure on building sites, farms and even bakeries

3. Dust from sanding, woodworking and stone cutting and

4. Exposure to asbestos, especially in maintenance work

Also your health is at risk from breathing in vapours and fumes when working with or

5. Mixing and decanting chemicals

6. Disturbing contaminated surfaces

7. Being exposed to fumes from welding, vehicles or lab work

What are the causes of exposure?

Exposure to dust or fumes can be as a result of many things including the obvious such

as

9. poor house keeping

But also

10. poor extraction at the source of the problem

11. Poorly maintained or ill-fitting masks or respirators

12. lack of proper storage and

13. spillages

And finally an overall

14. lack of suitable training and awareness of the problems and health risks

So how does all this affect your health?

Your health can be seriously damaged by exposure, which can result in:

15A. You not being about to do the activities you take for granted

15. Work related asthma

16. Obstruction of the airways known as COPD

17. Respiratory allergy and sensitisation

18. Cancers and

19. Asbestosis

And don’t forget

20. Smoking will just make it worse

So how do you control the risks?

First of all, determine the controls suitable to your workplace. There are a number of practical

things you can do such as:

21. Install good extraction systems for removing the dust and fumes

And don’t forget to

22. Maintain your equipment

23. Avoid working with asbestos by doing the work in some other way

24. Take measures to Dampen down dusty areas/tasks

25. Minimise contamination to your clothing and work surfaces

26. Select the correct respirator, or mask for the substances you are working with

27. Keep monitoring your systems for reduction in dust and fumes levels

And finally

28. Practice good storage and house keeping, such as cleaning up spills quickly

Following these examples will help reduce your health risks at work. For more information

check out the ‘get help’ chapter at the end of this DVD and in the guidance pack.