Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
NAllwright  
#1 Posted : 19 June 2019 10:30:49(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
NAllwright

Hi, we use rosin core solder at work (manual soldering) and have on-tip extraction.  Our thorough examination reports for our extraction say that this is working as it should.  Is there a need to still undertake health surveillance for colophony if your extraction is effective?  Exposure monitoring in the past has indicated that we are below the WEL /MEL.  Please advise. Many thanks.

chris.packham  
#2 Posted : 19 June 2019 13:39:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham

The 6th edition of the ACoP for COSHH covers this.  Parafraph 237 indicates where skin health surveillance is required:

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.

Note the last paragraph and think carefully about its implications!

Hope this helps

stevedm  
#3 Posted : 20 June 2019 08:18:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

as Chris said +....it would be sensible to implement some form of health check...even if it is paper based questionaire initially, that can be reviewed by OH professional...you may already have something in place for lung checks for welders etc...you may be 'under' the WEL/MEL but by how much?  it doesn't sound as if it is insignificant...and reliance of the LEV is good, however it is based on the assumption that it is always 100% effective....well maintained etc...

The HSE did a study on the effectivenes of extraction and gave a big tick to on tip stating it can reduce exposure to zero..there are a couple of caveats to that...have a look.  It does give you some assistance, however if any staff are Asthmatic I would say they need some form of a check even paper based...

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr900.pdf

chris.packham  
#4 Posted : 20 June 2019 10:20:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris.packham

The bit in the ACoP that concerns me is the sub-paragraph that starts: 'where there is evidence of ill health in jobs within the industry...'  Taken at face value this appears to suggest that even if you are confident that your LEV systems are providing 'adequate control' as required by COSHH if others are having problems you should be doing health surveillance. If this is correct this really does shift the goal posts!

stevedm  
#5 Posted : 20 June 2019 10:29:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

yep...I seem to remember a study paper that stated 20% of employees in the elctronics industry using Colophony show clinical symptoms of Asthma...I will dig it out

Users browsing this topic
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.