If they are exposed to:

vibrating tools, silica/wood/gypsum/cement/stone dusts, noise, chemicals

they need health monitoring.

Even more so if your activity uses traditional methods for heritage repair.

Your occupationa health provider should be advising this already (if they have been correctly briefed)

Hi Kimbo

"Heritage" can mean all sorts of things.

As example, there is currently a consultation out as to whether to accord Listed Building status to Cumbernauld (New) town centre built only 50 years ago.

Share your views on Cumbernauld Town Centre | Historic Environment Scotland

But on the assumption that "heritage" is rather older it will still depend on which era.

In an ideal world there should be clues in the information provided by client and their consultants including in CDM pre-construction information + ecological and archaeological survey reports.

The older it is then probably the risks from using power tools decline as stonemasons working on aged cathedrals and such like tend to work with handtools to recreate intricate details from blocks of stone which can be cut to approximate size in factory-like conditions.

But looking at the wider picture you could have all sorts of zoonoses, e.g. anthrax in ancient horsehair in plaster, moulds, pigeon feathers and droppings, rats' urine etc.

+ lots of lead in pipework, paint layers and other building features. 

+ the asbestos containing materials that were put in during some 20th Century refurbishment.

AND you are going to be using new materials that pose greater risks than is the norm for construction - as example, any mortar is probably going to be required to be lime-based, as modern cement mortar eats away at stonework.

+ might be more hardwood than is usual.

Good luck, Peter

Originally Posted by: Kimbo2822

Hi All,

Looking to get some advice, i'm currently working for a construction company and trying my best to bring everything upto scratch. The company has an exsisiting annual occ health programme in place for employees that are exposed to dust (stonemasons) and i'm about to add on the joinery department into this also.

However, would this then mean that any employee on site that is a carpenter, stonemason, plasterer, etc (we carry out heritage works, so old school work materials and techniques) also needs to be added to the occ health programme?

I'm struggling to get some real clarity on this,

TIA

You will need to add the job roles that clearly have that exposure - there may be a difference between job role and somone holding the qualification...