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Developed by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) May, 2011
Introduction
Construction work is dynamic, diverse, and constantly changing. This poses a great challenge in protecting the health and safety of construction workers.
Construction workers are at risk of exposure to various health hazards that can result in injury, illness, disability, or even death.
Ergonomic
Ergonomic hazards are the most frequently occurring health hazards in construction and the cause of most injuries.
Excavating and loading Silica dust, histoplasmosis, whole-body vibration, heat machine operators stress, noise Hazardous waste workers Heat stress, toxic chemicals
Chemical Hazards
Chemicals can exist in the form of: dusts, fumes, fibers (solids) liquids, mists gases, vapors
Chemicals are found in variety of products used at construction sites. Workers may also be exposed to chemicals generated during construction activities.
welding fumes spray paints cutting oil mists solvents hexavalent chromium
Chemical Hazards
Chemicals can enter the body through:
inhalation breathed in
Inhalation is typically the most common way chemicals can enter the body in a work situation.
ingestion
Injection, in which a chemical enters the body when the skin is punctured, occurs rarely (e.g., paint from a high-pressure spray gun).
Chemical Hazards
Two types of health effects from chemical exposure
HEALTH EFFECTS EXPOSURE EXAMPLE
Headache, collapse or death from high levels of carbon monoxide
ACUTE
Appears immediately or Typically sudden, within short time following short-term, high exposure, (minutes or concentration hours); death possible from some hazardous substances
Some chemicals can have both acute and chronic effects, e.g., carbon monoxide.
Asbestos
Construction workers may be exposed to asbestos during demolition or remodeling of older buildings built before 1980 which can contain asbestos insulation, or other asbestos containing products. Asbestos removal can only be done by specially trained asbestos workers.
Asbestos exposure can cause breathing problems, lung cancer and cancer of the lung lining many years after exposure.
Welding Fumes
Welding fumes contain a variety of chemicals depending on what is being welded on, chemical makeup of welding rods, fluxes and shielding gases. Generally, welding in confined spaces or welding on stainless steel which generates hexavalent chromium, are the most hazardous welding activities.
Welding on a stainless steel tank
Solvents
A variety of solvents with varying degrees of toxicity are used in construction. They are in paints, glues, epoxies and other products. Generally, the possibility of exposure to excessive amounts of solvent vapors is greater when solvents are handled in enclosed or confined spaces. Solvents can:
- Irritate your eyes, nose or throat,
- Make you dizzy, high, sleepy, give you a headache or cause you to pass out, - Affect your judgment or coordination, - Cause internal damage to your body, - Dry out or irritate your skin.
Exposure to excessive silica dust causes lung scarring and lung disease over time.
Brick cutting
Concrete cutting
Lead
Construction workers can be exposed to lead on bridge repair work, lead paint removal on metal structures or buildings or demolition of old buildings with lead paint, or using lead solder.
Lead is highly toxic and can cause severe, long term health problems.
Confined Spaces
Exposure to chemicals or lack of oxygen in confined spaces can be deadly.
Airborne chemicals can quickly reach dangerous levels in confined spaces that are not ventilated. Carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, welding fumes and solvent vapors are typical confined space chemical hazards. In some confined spaces, oxygen deficiency will cause the person entering to instantly collapse. As many co-workers who attempt rescue die in confined spaces as the original worker who collapsed. Confined spaces include manholes, sewers, vaults, tanks, and boilers in new construction or in repair and maintenance work.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards are different types of energy which may be hazardous to workers. They include:
Noise
Vibration
Temperature extremes Radiation
Prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels can cause noise-induced hearing loss. Noise levels above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss.
When you are exposed to excessive noise levels, the first stage is temporary hearing loss. Over time, the hearing loss becomes permanent.
85 decibels
Bulldozer
Chopsaw Grader/scraper Front end loader Jackhammer Nail-gun Router Welding equipment
87 decibels
92 decibels 107 decibels 90 decibels 102 decibels 97 decibels 90 decibels 92 decibels
Source: U.W. Dept. of Environmental & Occupational Health Services Rick Neitzel July, 2005
Whole-body vibration can occur from operating large mobile equipment, such as drillers, air hammers, pile drivers, tractors, graders, excavators, earth-moving equipment, and other large machinery.
Heavy work in high temperatures can cause muscle cramps, dehydration, sudden collapse, and unconsciousness.
Cold temperatures can lead to fatigue, irregular breathing, confusion, and loss of consciousness (hypothermia).
Heat illnesses:
Heat rash Fainting Heat cramps Heat exhaustion Heat stroke
working in an enclosed area with a strong heat source, poor ventilation, and high humidity (e.g., heavy equipment operators in an enclosed cab with without sufficient ventilation)
X-rays and gamma rays from equipment used to gauge the density and thickness of pipes, to inspect welds, or for detecting weakness of metal structures radioactive isotopes from flow meters
Health effects: increased risk of developing cancer and genetic disease.
lasers used for aligning, ranging, and surveying are usually low-powered but can cause eye injuries if directly viewed for extended time
Health effects: premature skin aging skin cancer burns eye damage
Biological Hazards
Diseases or illnesses can occur from biological sources: Microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi, molds)
West Nile virus Lyme Disease Histoplasmosis (fungus in bird droppings) Hantavirus
Plant toxins
Poison oak
Some of these diseases are minor infections; others can be serious or deadly.
Biological Hazards
Exposure may occur during demolition, renovation, sewer work, work on air handling systems, or other construction work from contact with contaminated or disease-carrying:
soil water insects (mosquitoes, ticks) bird or bat droppings animals structures
Pigeon droppings in abandoned building
Ergonomic Hazards
Ergonomic hazards can cause painful and disabling injuries to joints and muscles. The can occur from:
Ergonomic Hazards
can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and injuries:
tendonitis
carpal tunnel syndrome
This worker is simultaneously exposed to noise, silica dust, vibration and ergonomic hazards.
More Information
L & I General Workplace Safety and Health http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/default.asp More in-depth modules on several of the topics covered in this module can be found at: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/TrainTools/Online/Courses/default.asp OSHA: OSHA Assistance for the Construction Industry NIOSH: Construction : NIOSH Construction Program | CDC/NIOSH Construction Association of Ontario : http://www.csao.org Center for Research on Occupational & Environmental Toxicology: CROETweb: Construction Safety and Health General Information
After consultation visit, you will receive a letter explaining findings. Your only obligation is correct any serious hazards found. For additional assistance, you can call one of our consultants. Click below for local L & I office locations: http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/consultation/regional_consultants.htm