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HSE’s information sheet on construction dust

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How should you control brick dust?

Breathe easy

Our subscriber specialises in laying bricks, slabs and similar products, i.e. materials which contain stone. When cut, the materials release dust, including tiny particles of silica which can be breathed deep into the lungs. This is referred to as respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Heavy and prolonged exposure to RCS can cause silicosis, lung cancer and other serious respiratory diseases and because it continues to cause so much ill health, it’s a priority area for HSE enforcement.

The practical difficulty faced by employers is that only a tiny amount of RCS can be inhaled before there is a risk of harm. The maximum anyone should inhale over the course of an eight-hour day is 0.1mg/m3. If you imagine taking a biro and making a dot on a piece of paper that’s fairly representative of the legal exposure limit.

Note. This fine dust is just a part of the dust produced when cutting or grinding blocks, bricks or other masonry. Much of the dust is larger but these tiny particles carry the greatest risk to health.

How were the bricklayers working?

The method chosen for cutting the materials was a circular saw set up on a bench with a cutting disc. The machine was out in the open and the workers wore disposable masks. The company had a written risk assessment and method statement, although neither document was on site at the time of the visit. Tip. It’s best to have relevant risk assessments and method statements readily available. Ensure that workers have been instructed on the contents and have signed to show that this has been done.

Could do better

The inspector was unimpressed, especially as the method of cutting created more dust than was necessary and the workers had only fabric face masks to protect themselves (see The next step ). Tip. Brick splitters are regarded as the safer tool for cutting bricks, because significantly less dust is emitted. Try to use these where possible.

Tip. Use water suppression or on-tool extraction to reduce the dust that gets into the air. Choose the option appropriate for the tool being used.

Tip. Those who are clean shaven should be wearing respiratory protective equipment with a minimum of a P3 filter (or factor of 20) to protect themselves from inhalable dust. These are a rubber mask fitting over the nose and mouth with one or more filters which attach to the mask. Anyone who is not clean shaven will need to have a battery-powered air-fed hood instead of a tight fitting respirator.

Tip. Workers using tight fitting respirators as described above should be put through a “face-fit test” and you should have the certificate on site, showing the model and size of respirator the worker has been fitted for.

Tip. It is not enough to have the right information within the site paperwork, you must ensure, through supervision, that the safe system of work is being followed.

For a link to the HSE’s information sheet on construction dust, visit https://www.tips-and-advice.co.uk , Download Zone, year 22 issue 13.