Rank: Forum user 
|
My client machines wood to manufacture a final product; the wood consists of plywood, chipboard and MDF.
COSHH essentials sheet G402 for health surveillance for occupational asthma states under "main causes" that wood dust can cause occupaional asthma. It then goes on to sate that high level health surveillance is required for any worker who is exposed to substances in the main causes, or substances and processes where occupational asthma is a known problem.
Does this mean that health surveillance is compulsory? My view was that if personal monitoring showed that the WEL was not being exceeded due to good LEV, then health surveiallance would not be required.
Does anyone have experience of this type of work and health surveillance and can provide advice
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
The sixth edition of the ACoP for COSHH contains the following:- Paragraph 237, in particular, indicates where health surveillance is required. <Quote> Examples where health surveillance is appropriate under the criteria in regulation 11(2)(b) are: where there have been previous cases of work-related ill health in the workforce/place; where there is reliance on PPE, eg gloves or respirators, as an exposure control measure; eg printers wearing gloves to protect against solvents used during press cleaning, or paint sprayers using two-pack paints wearing respirators to prevent asthma. Even with the closest supervision there is no guarantee that PPE will be effective at all times; where there is evidence of ill health in jobs within the industry; eg frequent or prolonged contact with water (termed ‘wet-working’) causing dermatitis in hairdressers and healthcare workers, or breathing in mists from chrome plating baths causing chrome ulcers in platers. Paragraph 238 amplifies this: This is not a definitive or exhaustive list and there will be many other instances where health surveillance is required. Employers will need to seek information or advice on the specific health risks identified in the risk assessment, or through any topic-specific HSE guidance, trade associations or other professional sources. <Unquote> Note the last part of paragraph 237. If other organisations in your sector of industry have encountered health problems then my view has to be that health surveillance is mandatory. I hope this answers your question. Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
"Health surveillance
Because wood dust causes asthma any health effects must be picked up early. This can be done using health surveillance.
For most woods, low level health surveillance will do. When someone first starts in a job where they are exposed to wood dust they should fill in a questionnaire, for example: Sample questionnaire (when worker starts work) PDF.
After six weeks they should then complete a follow up questionnaire and this should then be repeated every year, for example: Sample questionnaire (follow-up) PDF.
These questionnaires tell you what to do if you think someone has been affected.
A higher level of health surveillance, including lung function testing, is needed for exposures to woods such as western red cedar which are a known asthmagen"
http://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/wooddust.htm
|
 1 user thanked johnmurray for this useful post.
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.