The silent tragedy of silica dust and the need for immediate action

One thousand deaths a 12 months amongst staff deserves much more consideration

As we speak within the Home of Lords I’ve an oral query – beginning a brief debate – on a office security concern – silicosis – that has acquired surprisingly little parliamentary consideration within the UK, regardless of Australia having simply taken a giant step ahead in tackling it, and the All Occasion Parliamentary Group for Respiratory Well being final 12 months producing a report on the difficulty. (You’ll be able to watch it dwell from about 2.45pm.)

To start out firstly: Silica is a pure substance present in stone, rocks, sand, clay and development supplies like cement and bricks. Engaged on these supplies, chopping them, engraving, and sanding them down releases small airborne particles of airborne silica mud referred to as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS). This mud can penetrate human lungs and causes a number of circumstances, a lot of that are extraordinarily debilitating and a few life-threatening. These embody lung infections, bronchitis, obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD), and lung most cancers. It additionally will increase the chance of acute infections like tuberculosis. Medically, little or nothing may be completed to reverse the injury.

Regardless of the true risks of this materials, simply over half 1,000,000 staff are uncovered to silica annually within the UK. Round 1,000 staff die annually in consequence – in regards to the equal toll had been two jumbo jets to crash mid air. Think about the protection outcry there can be had been that tragedy to occur, but the quiet, hidden tragedy of silicosis just isn’t being even observed.

And this determine additionally doesn’t account for hundreds extra who’re left with long-term debilitating lung issues that severely impair the standard of their life. These working as stoneworkers, development staff, engineers, and in agriculture are on the highest threat .

What’s the UK doing to deal with this downside?

Not like asbestos, there isn’t a particular regulation regarding the chance of silica mud, regardless of it being not less than as deadly as asbestos. In keeping with the advocacy group, Hazards, there are two principal present items of laws that relate to silica publicity. First is the Well being and Security at Work Act (1974), which requires employers to make sure the bodily and psychological well being of staff and others impacted by their work actions or of their working setting.

Second, the Management of Substances Hazardous to Well being Laws 2002 (COSHH) calls for that employers decrease RSC publicity amongst their workers  “as moderately practicable.” Workplaces are required to take plenty of steps, similar to educating workers in regards to the dangers of silica mud publicity, routinely monitoring for ranges of silica mud within the air, and decreasing ranges by water spray techniques and different mechanisms. Employees are additionally meant to put on gear to stop inhalation, similar to mud masks. Nonetheless, research have proven that the extent of silica mud stays exceedingly excessive throughout numerous workplaces in Europe, which calls into query how efficient these measures are.

The UK ought to study from different nations

Different nations have taken firmer motion than the UK to stop deaths and illness from silica. Final 12 months, Australia turned the primary nation to ban engineered stone from being imported, manufactured, or utilized in Australia. This choice was made after it was discovered that 1 in 4 stone masons have fallen in poor health in Australia after publicity to silica in engineered stone. The primary case was recognized in Australia in 2015.

The US nationwide Security Regulator – OSHA – can be making efforts to enhance safety for engineered stoneworkers. For instance, they’re growing the frequency of federal inspections in stoneworking places to watch silica ranges. A current examine revealed that US migrant staff in California are at disproportionate threat of changing into in poor health from silica attributable to being outnumbered in stonework sectors. In response, OSHA has mentioned that it’ll try to deal with lack of know-how in regards to the risks of silica amongst these staff.

Abstract and Suggestions

Hazards have referred to as for a complete ban on engineered stone within the UK to minimise the chance of dying brought on by silica mud. Their suggestions additionally embody higher monitoring techniques within the office by assessing whether or not know-how and information are efficient sufficient to scale back silica ranges; higher consciousness of the risks of silica amongst staff by instructing about its dangers throughout apprenticeships and thru security campaigns in workplaces; and higher well being surveillance by bettering GP data so that there’s clearer information on occupational historical past and join this with deaths certificates in order that we’re capable of grasp the total scale of the difficulty. 

Well being and security circumstances in UK workplaces are declining, with the Well being and Security Government failing to analyze even severe incidents, and concern notably in regards to the development sector, which is answerable for round 10 per cent of GDP however a 3rd of all office deaths.

However these sudden, tragic occasions are solely the tip of an iceberg of office harm that’s actually an element within the excessive ranges of in poor health well being within the working-age inhabitants. But it will get little consideration, a broader concern I mirrored on lately for Public Sector Focus. As we speak, I’ll be taking a small step in the direction of giving it extra.

Natalie Bennett is a Inexperienced Occasion member of the Home of Lords. She was chief of the Inexperienced Occasion of England and Wales from 2012-16.

This text was written with King’s Faculty intern Jennifer Howe

Picture credit score: Division of Enterprise, Innovation and Expertise