Rank: Forum user 
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We teach various building services where I work namely, electrical, bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, air con etc and I've noticed especially in the carpentry and bricklaying workshops there are what can only be described as accumulations of sawdust and cement dust on everything, from light fittings to heaters, to the air-con system. Apart from the obvious fire hazard here should I also be concerned with the occupational health of the tutors and the students?
The students currently use paper masks and goggles when in the workshops to protect them from sawdust, (other controls are in place, LEV, general ventilation, moisture dampening, segregation) but they fog up very quickly and either the goggles are discarded so the dust can enter into the eyes or the face masks lowered below the nose to prevent moisture build up in which case dust enters through the nose. The tutors have asked for better semi-disposable masks with filters that are replaced every 28 days but management have said no due to cost....your thoughts please.
Also should I insist on management carry out yearly occupational checks on staff due to the materials used, MDF, cement, various dusts. 1 tutor is already complaining about coughing and spluttering ever since they started working here
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Rank: Super forum user
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Interesting post and one that demonstrates what I have always considered one of the (many) reasons that construction suffers from a detrimental attitude toward H&S.
In a environment where construction apprentices are first learning their trades correct H&S procedures and training should be part of the curriculum and demonstrated in practice in the classroom at all time.
Any college that is allowing students to work in this manner and is not taking H&S seriously should not be allowed to teach the courses as this is merely exacerbating the problem.
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Rank: Forum user
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Have the dust masks been face fit tested? A good fit should prevent breath escaping back up into the goggles & 'fogging' them up.
In theory the rubber half masks are actually more cost effective than the disposable ones - if you discard a disposable mask after each time you use it and then pick a new one up you'll soon find these costs outweigh the cost of a half-mask & occasional replacement of the filters.
If you ask any supplier of half masks they should be able to provide you with the financial justification.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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If there is dust accumulation, that suggests the LEV isn't doing its job. So you need to talk to maintenance people to find out: a) the original design criteria for the various systems (mainly total airflow, plus face velocity for the LEV); b) what performance checks they do and what do these show?
If there is doubt, you should ask that a competent occupational hygienist (for details see BOHS website) reviews the work area and recommends the range of controls needed to ensure health risks are ALARP. Some exposure measurements may be needed as part of that review. Regular OH checks shouldn't be standard, unless exposure levels are approaching the relevant limits. If they are, then your OH physician or nurse (being a training provider, I trust you have one?) should be involved and asked to define what is appropriate.
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Rank: Forum user
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The masks that are currently being used by students are your run of the mill paper masks that are not face fitted and in my opinion do not offer enough protection. Yes they may block the bigger particles but not the ones we cant see.
What is ironic is that the organization is looking to spend £xxxxx on trying to achieve excellence regarding its h&s in the workplace by going down the BSC 5* audit accreditation but it wont spend money on better ppe/controls. Surely the level of protection afforded to staff/students in the workplace considering the elements they face on a daily basis would come under scrutiny when the audit is being carried out?
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Rank: Forum user
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Unfortunately (or probably fortunately depending on your viewpoint) all masks, even, disposable ones have to be face-fit tested by law.
You would hope that an external audit would pick this up, but an audit is only ever a sampling exercise and they may miss items that would seem obvious to you
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Rank: Super forum user
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Do the maths, 28 x disposable masks V 1 x re-useable mask, and the re-usable masks which only require replacement filters are MORE expensive?
Given the face fit test failure rate of disposable masks ~50% (BOHS annals - Respirator Leakage in the Pharmaceutical Industry of Northwest England) your better off using a non-disposable anyway (lot lower failure rate)
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Rank: Super forum user 
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PPE/RPE should be the last measure in your hierarchy of controls. Every other effort must be made first to get dust levels down to an acceptable level. Clane, you don't mention whether or not there is a COSHH assessment. If not then that would be thr route to go, and as inwaldra mentioned, it sounds like your LEV is not up to the task. A housekeeping regime would also be a useful control, and use vacuums not brooms! You can get an occupational hygienist in and you could look at ire of monitoring kit like the EVM series to carry out long term checking of dust levels. You may wish to have a look at possible issues with welding (heating and ventilation engineers) and soldering (plumbers) as they m,ay have fume and dermatitis (flux) issues. Health surveillance my be required if there is a health condition associated with a substance. Check out the HSE website. http://www.hse.gov.uk/co.../basics/surveillance.htmIan
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Rank: Forum user
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I would pick up specifically on the wood dust issue. Some woods, particularly tropical hardwoods, can have some very nasty health effects when breathed in. There is good advice on the HSE website as always: http://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/wooddust.htmHealth surveillance advice is towards the bottom of the page.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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clane wrote:We teach various building services where I work namely, electrical, bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, air con etc and I've noticed especially in the carpentry and bricklaying workshops there are what can only be described as accumulations of sawdust and cement dust on everything, from light fittings to heaters, to the air-con system. Apart from the obvious fire hazard here should I also be concerned with the occupational health of the tutors and the students?
The students currently use paper masks and goggles when in the workshops to protect them from sawdust, (other controls are in place, LEV, general ventilation, moisture dampening, segregation) but they fog up very quickly and either the goggles are discarded so the dust can enter into the eyes or the face masks lowered below the nose to prevent moisture build up in which case dust enters through the nose. The tutors have asked for better semi-disposable masks with filters that are replaced every 28 days but management have said no due to cost....your thoughts please.
Also should I insist on management carry out yearly occupational checks on staff due to the materials used, MDF, cement, various dusts. 1 tutor is already complaining about coughing and spluttering ever since they started working here Its not better masks you need but better engineered controls, the ones you have are obviously not working. Spending money on H&S excellence uummmm not in my book, staff and students deserve to be looked after. Ask for the money to be spent on proper controls and H&S education for your students. Do you not have a H&S person in situ if not consult one.
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