Safe Work Australia has launched a national campaign to raise awareness of occupational lung diseases and to educate persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) on what they can do to manage these risks at work.

Safe Work Australia chief executive Michelle Baxter says: “The Clean Air. Clear Lungs. campaign targets industries where there is a high risk of workers contracting an occupational lung disease such as construction, manufacturing, agriculture and those who work with engineered stone.”

“The construction industry covers a broad range of workers, trades and administration staff – it’s important to remember that everyone who works on-site could be exposed to hazards in the air.

“Occupational lung diseases are serious conditions, but they are entirely preventable. As a PCBU, you have a duty to protect the health and safety of your workers and the first step is to identify if hazards exist at your workplace.”

In the construction industry, hazardous dusts, gases, fumes or vapours can be created when:

• cutting, grinding, polishing and crushing concrete, pavers, tiles, bricks or engineered stone
• cutting and sanding different timbers
• cutting plasterboard
• working with materials that contain asbestos, especially when working on existing buildings
• working with paints, glue and varnishes that contain isocyanates
• welding
• working with power equipment such as petrol-powered quick-cut saws, chain saws, or working near plant/vehicle exhausts

“Once PCBUs have identified hazards, they then need to undertake a risk assessment and implement control measures to protect workers from developing an occupational lung disease.”

“The best control measure is to eliminate the risk altogether, however, if that isn’t possible it is essential to apply the most appropriate control measures to manage the risk,” Ms Baxter said.

Effective control measures can include:

• Substitution
  – using score and snap fibre cement sheeting instead of using a circular saw
  – using battery-operated power tools with local exhaust ventilation or dust extraction systems
  – replacing existing asbestos materials with non-asbestos materials
•  Isolation
  – isolating work processes that generate dusts, fumes and vapours in an enclosed room, away from workers
• Engineering
  – using a suitable ventilation system
  – using power tools that have inbuilt water suppression for dust
  – using industrial vacuum cleaners with appropriate filtrations during clean up
• Administrative
  – reducing the time workers spend in exposure areas
  – having appropriate policies and procedures for keeping work areas clean
  – using appropriate personal protective equipment, including respiratory protective equipment

Safe Work Australia’s Clean Air. Clear Lungs. campaign is supported by work health and safety regulators and other stakeholders to increase awareness of occupational lung diseases.

For more, see the Clean Air. Clear Lungs. campaign website here.