Construction Dust and Asthma: Understanding the Risks and Mitigation Strategies

There are almost 3 million workers in the UK construction industry who are at frequent risk of exposure to hazards that could cause physical harm or impact their long-term health. One of the biggest hazards to health is the airborne dust that is generated during common construction activities such as drilling, grinding or demolition activities.

If inhaled, construction dust can have a major impact on respiratory health, particularly for workers with pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma. In some cases, dust inhalation can even cause asthma to develop in previously healthy individuals. By understanding the risks of dust and asthma, and implementing effective mitigation strategies, the risk of work-related respiratory illnesses can be reduced.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease which causes the airways to become inflamed and narrowed. Asthma can range from mild to life-threatening and can reduce a person’s ability to carry out physical tasks, which can be particularly debilitating in a physically demanding work setting such as the construction industry.

Common asthma symptoms include:

• Wheezing (defined as a whistling sound when breathing)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness (described as feeling as if a band is tightening around the chest)
• Persistent coughing, which can be worse at night or early in the morning
• For workers already living with asthma, workplace dust can worsen their condition, causing flare-ups and long-term lung damage.

What is occupational Asthma and who is most at risk?

According to Asthma + Lung UK, occupational Asthma is defined by Asthma that is caused or worsened by exposure to allergens or irritants in the workplace. It can develop in workers who previously had no respiratory health issues or worsen symptoms in those with pre-existing asthma.

Occupational asthma can take weeks, months, or even years to develop, meaning by the time symptoms appear, irreversible lung damage has already been caused.

Construction workers are at higher risk of occupational asthma due to the wide range of tasks they undertake that generate respirable dust, including:

• Silica dust – created during cutting, drilling, or grinding stone, brick, concrete and other construction materials. Silica is the second biggest risk to construction workers after asbestos, because it is a known cause for both occupational asthma and a severe, debilitating and irreversible lung disease called Silicosis.
• Wood dust – which is a by-product of sawing and sanding wood
• General construction dust - from materials such as plaster, cement and drywall.

Health risks for workers with Asthma

When workers with Asthma are exposed to dust, not only can it cause discomfort by triggering Asthma symptoms, but it poses other negative risks including:

• Increased occurrence and severity of Asthma attacks
• Chronic bronchitis or decreased lung function which deteriorates over time
• Reduced work capability or productivity
• Frequent sickness absence or the ability to continue working in the industry

Raising awareness of the risk of dust inhalation

Educating workers about the risk of dust can be easily achieved by hosting regular toolbox talks to help workers recognise the dangers of dust and understand how to avoid exposure. RVT Group have created a range of free dust related toolbox talks which includes a PDF handout and easy-to-digest information in a video format.

It’s also a good idea to display visible warnings in work areas and informative posters in welfare areas to act as a reminder of how to stay safe.

How to prevent occupational Asthma

It’s important to know that occupational Asthma is preventable, if employers take a proactive approach to protecting the health of their workforce. According to the hierarchy of control, employers must first try to eliminate the hazard, by physically removing it, if possible, for example having materials cut off site. If this is not possible, substituting the hazard is the next course of action, such as wet cutting materials. If you cannot eliminate or substitute the hazard, you will need to explore suitable engineering controls and dust mitigation solutions.

Recommended dust mitigation engineering control solutions

Dust Extraction/ LEV Systems - High-airflow extraction and filtration units extract dust at the source, removing the hazard before it can come into contact with workers. For an extraction or LEV system to be effective, it must have a suitable hood, fan, filter, ducting and discharge point. The type of filter required will depend on the substance you are working with, for example, you would need a HEPA filter when extracting Silica Dust. You also need to ensure that the hood is the right shape and size and that the fan provides enough airflow. RVT Group’s LEV units all undergo a Thorough Examination and Text (TExT), to certify that they are fit for purpose - not all suppliers provide this. RVT Group’s extraction units are ideal for capturing hazardous dust such as lead and respirable crystalline silica (RCS).

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Dust suppression system - A dust suppression unit, also known as a water mist cannon, is a popular choice for managing dust from activities such as groundworks or demolition as it controls dust in two ways. Firstly, it can be used to dampen surfaces to prevent airborne dust from being generated in the first place. Secondly, if dust is already airborne, the mist will intercept any airborne dust particles and pull them to the ground, preventing workers from breathing it in.

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Dust enclosures – It’s best practice to contain dusty work areas using a suitable enclosure to prevent dust particulate from migrating outside of the work area. Some enclosures can also be paired with an extraction system to create a negative pressure and ensure zero dust migration. Find out more in this short 4 minute video.

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Monitoring dust levels in the work area

It’s recommended to hire dust monitors to give an indication of dust levels to allow you to understand the real-time risk to workers.

A wearable lightweight dust monitor will help to protect individual workers, giving them the freedom to do their job, whilst consistently monitoring the levels of dust exposure. A monitor such as RVT Group’s XD1+ can be clipped on to uniform and positioned within the breathing zone (defined as the 30cm hemispherical zone below the nose and mouth) to record an accurate reading.

Area dust monitors can quickly and easily be set-up and positioned in and around the work area to give an indication of the dust levels that could be affecting those in the work area and nearby. A temporary hire solution such as the MONITEX® Area Dust Monitor records and stores data on a cloud-based platform and sends instant update alerts via email and text.

Legal requirements for employers

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, UK employers have a legal duty to prevent worker exposure to hazardous substances such as construction dust. This includes:

• Assessing the health hazards
• Implementing appropriate control measures such as dust extraction, suppression or enclosures
• Providing health surveillance for employees at risk
• Keeping accurate records of exposure and the controls put in place, such as dust monitoring records.
• Failing to comply with legislation can lead to enforcement action, penalty charge, or legal claims.

If dust from site activities is not controlled, employers are risking the health of their workforce, project delays, compliance issues and reputational damage. By implementing dust mitigation hire solutions, training, and awareness, the risk can be reduced or eliminated.

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