Managing workplace dust – practical tips for SMEs | The Indicator Podcast

Description

Dust in the workplace isn’t just a nuisance, it’s a health and safety risk that SMEs can't afford to ignore. In this episode of In Conversation, we explore practical, cost-effective strategies for managing dust in small and medium-sized enterprises. Join our experts as they discuss:

common sources of workplace dust
health implications for employees
legal responsibilities and compliance
affordable solutions for dust control
real-world examples from SME environments

Whether you're in manufacturing, construction, or any industry where dust is a concern, this conversation will help you create a safer, cleaner workspace.

Visit www.lefebvre-uk.co.uk to explore our product range, or connect with us on social media:

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Duncan
Well hello everyone and welcome to this episode focusing on managing dust in the workplace. I'm Duncan Callow, ,Managing Director at Lefebvre, and joining us is our expert in occupational health and safety and that's Rachel Wildman. Hello, Rachel.
Rachel
Good morning, Duncan. Thank you for having me here today and allowing me to discuss a very important topic which is certainly at the forefront of the HSE's mind at the moment currently too.
Duncan
Okay, well let's start at the beginning - let's kick off our discussion with an overview. Rachel, could you provide some insights into what dust is and how it can actually pose potential harm to individuals in a workplace setting?
Rachel
Yeah, absolutely Duncan. So we all sort of refer to dust but we don't always really know exactly what it is we're talking about. It's really lots of tiny particles that can become airborne and it can be anything such as organic materials like wood, or flour dust if you're working in a bakery. It can be inorganic materials such as very fine metals, silica, concrete dust etc., and it can also be chemical compounds that you use in cleaning such as some of the the powders etc etc. So dust can come in sort of many forms, shapes and sizes.
Duncan
Okay and what sort of long-term health issues are we talking about if people are exposed to these sort of dust which you just mentioned?
Rachel
Okay. Well it really does depend upon the frequency of exposure and also the particle size of the dust - that's very important - but just taking a bit of a step back, we have dust around us in the atmosphere all the time so it's really about understanding what it is that can actually cause us harm. So it's really when we inhale it is the primary cause of concern in the workplace. An inhalation of certain dust can cause respiratory issues, lung disease, and even just being exposed to dust can cause skin irritations, eye irritations and some long-term health implications as well. Now, as I say, it does depend upon the particle size and the amount of dust that you are subjected to, and really the HSE has sort of divided it into two areas and that's inhalable dust or respirable dust. So anything that is 10 micrograms per metre cubed is classed as inhalable or anything that is 4 milligrams per metre cubed is respirable. Now that means that you can breathe it right into your lungs and that's when it starts to interact with your body and can cause illnesses in some people.
Duncan
It sounds quite alarming. Is it really as bad as it seems?
Rachel
Well yes and no. So, according to the HSE statistics for 2023-2024 there were 2,218 mesothelioma deaths, which is caused by exposure to asbestos. There were 12,000 deaths caused by lung disease and it's estimated that there were 20,000 new cases of exposure to occupational dusts that have caused ill health in the workplace. So the important thing to remember though is that everybody has different tolerances to exposures to dust and there are things that can make a big difference as well. So, for example, if you're a smoker or you have other lifestyle factors, like hobbies that are very dusty as well, that can contribute to the exposure that you are undertaking. And also it can be your family medical history, so you may find that your family has susceptibilities to cancers, whereas your co-worker might not have that because all of your medical backgrounds will be different. Just an example I can give you: so if you're a hairdresser and you're handling bleach powder, for example, that can cause skin irritation. Some people may find it absolutely fine and it doesn't cause a problem at all. And for others, unfortunately, it can bring on something called occupational dermatitis. And it may mean that that hairdresser has to actually give up their chosen career because the skin condition is so bad that it permanently affects them.
Duncan
OK. So it's clearly not an insignificant risk. But are there any actual legal duties that are imposed on UK employers concerning dust control and ensuring a safe working environment for their staff?
Rachel
Yeah, I mean, absolutely. So we're back to the umbrella act of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, which places a duty of care on all employers to look after their staff and others who may be affected by what they're being asked to do. There's also a specific set of regulations, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002, and what both these pieces of legislation say is that an employer must identify hazardous substances in the workplace. That's, you know, if you don't know what you're working with, how can you protect your staff? So that's that's the number one thing to do. The legislation also says that you must assess the risks and monitor exposure. You must implement controls, and I'm sure we're going to come on to that in a bit more detail shortly. You need to monitor and record the exposure. And in some cases, depending what the hazardous substance is, it might be that you need to implement health surveillance for your staff as well. So, for example, people who may work with asbestos will need specific health surveillance for that. And also you have to reduce the risk to as low as reasonably practicable. So that's where you sort of take the balance of what the exposure is, how the frequency, the type of dust size, and if you think it's going to cause a problem. So you have to reduce that to as low as you possibly can.
Duncan
OK. That's helpful. So let's get practical. Let's move on to some solutions for employers. What control measures can employers adopt to manage dust effectively in their workplaces? And do you have any cost-effective advice for our listeners and viewers to consider?
Rachel
Yes, certainly. So, as always, we should really work to the hierarchy of controls. So that means we need to be looking first and foremost at engineering solutions, because if we can engineer the problem out - whether we can eliminate or reduce or isolate exposure to those dusts - that's a far better, stronger control measure and that affects everybody in the workforce and in the vicinity as well. So things that you can look at there is with some dusts, you may not be able to eliminate them. For example, you work in a manufacturing industry. What you might be able to do is say, well, "I need that particular type of raw material. But what I can do is instead of having it in dust form, I'm going to ask for it to come in pellet form and I can manufacture it that way." Think aspirin and paracetamol - you know, that's really compressed dust that we can then take in a safe way. It might be that we can look at isolation. So if you've got a particularly dusty job, it will be containing it into a room or if you're outside, you know, maybe sort of tenting it or putting some barriers around it to stop the dust sort of flocculating - we call it - into the air and becoming airborne. If you can't do that we need to start looking at how we can extract that dust so that might be through things such as local exhaust ventilation systems, you know. You can get them designed specifically for your workplace; they needn't be expensive although obviously there will be a cost involved with that and there will be ongoing maintenance and making sure that you are regularly testing it to ensure that it complies with the legislation as well. Other simple measures can be things such as simply good housekeeping, you know, sort of making sure that if you're creating dust, you're clearing it up at the end of the day. So containment, you know. A simple control measure that you can use there is something like a vacuum cleaner, rather than leave dust lying around, simply hoover it up, contain it and dispose of it in a safe way. And then you're removing that hazard from the workplace as well.
Duncan
Okay. Isn't the reality though that most employers will just rely on PPE, personal protective equipment?
Rachel
Well, unfortunately, yes. It's always the simple one that everybody jumps straight to because it's quick. It's, you know, you can order a mask or you can go out and buy it from your local Screwfix etc., and it's an instant fix. However, that hazard is still present in the air. So you're really relying on making sure that the staff are wearing it correctly. Cast your mind back to the days of coronavirus and we all had to wear face masks. The amount of people that I used to see wearing their masks like that so they weren't actually covering and it was doing no good at all. So, again, those face masks and PPE are only good if people are actually wearing them correctly. It's also very easy for an employer to get the wrong type of face mask. So for example, an FFP2 filter filters out about 94% of the particles in the air, which is good. You know, and again, depending on what hazardous substance is, that may well be enough. If you're just exposed to things like talcum powder, for example, or if you are working in a hairdresser's, that would probably suffice. However, if you're working with slightly more hazardous substances, you would need to up the grade of your face mask to an FFP3 filter, because that filters 99% of those particles. So again, it's a much stronger control. But again, staff need to wear it correctly, they need to maintain it and they need to replace it regularly. So it's always better to rely on those engineering solutions rather than on PPE.
Duncan
Yeah, I understand that. I mean, it's obvious why people go for face masks, because they're relatively cheap. But the engineering solutions you've talked about, is there not a risk that they're always going to come in on the expensive side?
Rachel
Well, yes. But as I say, you know, it can be as simple as a £99 Hoover off of Amazon or off Screwfix Direct, you know. It doesn't have to be a really bespoke, all-singing, all -dancing LEV system. As long as you're containing and controlling that dust, that's a really good way of going. However, it's really important to remember that the controls that you implement must be proportionate to the risk. So a Henry Hoover, for example, would be no good if you're handling asbestos dust because it just simply is not enough. So you need to really fully understand, going back to what we discussed earlier, fully understand what the hazardous substance is, and therefore that will help you decide what type of cost-effective controls you can put in place. And of course, one of the easiest controls that you can do is to train your staff. If they know what the risk is, if they can understand what some signs and symptoms of overexposure might be, you know, if they participate fully in any health surveillance, any monitoring that you're doing, it can really help them understand that their good working practices can really reduce their exposure to dust.
Duncan
Okay, well look, thank you, Rachel, I've learned a lot about dust. I should also point out that there are other outlets than Screwfix and Amazon to purchase vacuum cleaners! But just before we go, have you got any final nugget you can leave us with in this whole subject of dust in the workplace and how to manage it?
Rachel
Yeah, I mean, really, I would say don't ignore it. It's very much on the HSE's radar at the moment, and they're upping their inspections on sort of LEV systems and exposure to dust in the workplace. If you don't address it, your business could have other costs involved, such as sick pay, covering for absenteeism if people are off sick, loss of your experienced workers, and you may be fined and prosecuted. And of course, if somebody has developed an illness, they are likely to put in a personal injury claim for compensation. So, again, you may find that your personal - sorry, your employer's liability insurance - premium may start to escalate. So turning a blind eye and just thinking, "Oh, well, there's dust everywhere", that's not really good enough and not what the HSE expects. So if your workers are exposed to dust in the workplace, don't ignore it. Make sure that you're at least trying to do something to reduce that risk and that will stand your business in good stead.
Duncan
OK, thank you very much, Rachel. That's brilliant advice. For more information about our range of health and safety products, several of which are now powered by AI, please do visit our website at www.lefebvre-uk.co.uk or give us a call on 01233 653 500 but for now thank you very much for sharing your time with us.

Description

common sources of workplace dust
health implications for employees
legal responsibilities and compliance
affordable solutions for dust control
real-world examples from SME environments

Whether you're in manufacturing, construction, or any industry where dust is a concern, this conversation will help you create a safer, cleaner workspace.

Visit www.lefebvre-uk.co.uk to explore our product range, or connect with us on social media:

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Transcription

Duncan
Well hello everyone and welcome to this episode focusing on managing dust in the workplace. I'm Duncan Callow, ,Managing Director at Lefebvre, and joining us is our expert in occupational health and safety and that's Rachel Wildman. Hello, Rachel.
Rachel
Good morning, Duncan. Thank you for having me here today and allowing me to discuss a very important topic which is certainly at the forefront of the HSE's mind at the moment currently too.
Duncan
Okay, well let's start at the beginning - let's kick off our discussion with an overview. Rachel, could you provide some insights into what dust is and how it can actually pose potential harm to individuals in a workplace setting?
Rachel
Yeah, absolutely Duncan. So we all sort of refer to dust but we don't always really know exactly what it is we're talking about. It's really lots of tiny particles that can become airborne and it can be anything such as organic materials like wood, or flour dust if you're working in a bakery. It can be inorganic materials such as very fine metals, silica, concrete dust etc., and it can also be chemical compounds that you use in cleaning such as some of the the powders etc etc. So dust can come in sort of many forms, shapes and sizes.
Duncan
Okay and what sort of long-term health issues are we talking about if people are exposed to these sort of dust which you just mentioned?
Rachel
Okay. Well it really does depend upon the frequency of exposure and also the particle size of the dust - that's very important - but just taking a bit of a step back, we have dust around us in the atmosphere all the time so it's really about understanding what it is that can actually cause us harm. So it's really when we inhale it is the primary cause of concern in the workplace. An inhalation of certain dust can cause respiratory issues, lung disease, and even just being exposed to dust can cause skin irritations, eye irritations and some long-term health implications as well. Now, as I say, it does depend upon the particle size and the amount of dust that you are subjected to, and really the HSE has sort of divided it into two areas and that's inhalable dust or respirable dust. So anything that is 10 micrograms per metre cubed is classed as inhalable or anything that is 4 milligrams per metre cubed is respirable. Now that means that you can breathe it right into your lungs and that's when it starts to interact with your body and can cause illnesses in some people.
Duncan
It sounds quite alarming. Is it really as bad as it seems?
Rachel
Well yes and no. So, according to the HSE statistics for 2023-2024 there were 2,218 mesothelioma deaths, which is caused by exposure to asbestos. There were 12,000 deaths caused by lung disease and it's estimated that there were 20,000 new cases of exposure to occupational dusts that have caused ill health in the workplace. So the important thing to remember though is that everybody has different tolerances to exposures to dust and there are things that can make a big difference as well. So, for example, if you're a smoker or you have other lifestyle factors, like hobbies that are very dusty as well, that can contribute to the exposure that you are undertaking. And also it can be your family medical history, so you may find that your family has susceptibilities to cancers, whereas your co-worker might not have that because all of your medical backgrounds will be different. Just an example I can give you: so if you're a hairdresser and you're handling bleach powder, for example, that can cause skin irritation. Some people may find it absolutely fine and it doesn't cause a problem at all. And for others, unfortunately, it can bring on something called occupational dermatitis. And it may mean that that hairdresser has to actually give up their chosen career because the skin condition is so bad that it permanently affects them.
Duncan
OK. So it's clearly not an insignificant risk. But are there any actual legal duties that are imposed on UK employers concerning dust control and ensuring a safe working environment for their staff?
Rachel
Yeah, I mean, absolutely. So we're back to the umbrella act of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, which places a duty of care on all employers to look after their staff and others who may be affected by what they're being asked to do. There's also a specific set of regulations, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002, and what both these pieces of legislation say is that an employer must identify hazardous substances in the workplace. That's, you know, if you don't know what you're working with, how can you protect your staff? So that's that's the number one thing to do. The legislation also says that you must assess the risks and monitor exposure. You must implement controls, and I'm sure we're going to come on to that in a bit more detail shortly. You need to monitor and record the exposure. And in some cases, depending what the hazardous substance is, it might be that you need to implement health surveillance for your staff as well. So, for example, people who may work with asbestos will need specific health surveillance for that. And also you have to reduce the risk to as low as reasonably practicable. So that's where you sort of take the balance of what the exposure is, how the frequency, the type of dust size, and if you think it's going to cause a problem. So you have to reduce that to as low as you possibly can.
Duncan
OK. That's helpful. So let's get practical. Let's move on to some solutions for employers. What control measures can employers adopt to manage dust effectively in their workplaces? And do you have any cost-effective advice for our listeners and viewers to consider?
Rachel
Yes, certainly. So, as always, we should really work to the hierarchy of controls. So that means we need to be looking first and foremost at engineering solutions, because if we can engineer the problem out - whether we can eliminate or reduce or isolate exposure to those dusts - that's a far better, stronger control measure and that affects everybody in the workforce and in the vicinity as well. So things that you can look at there is with some dusts, you may not be able to eliminate them. For example, you work in a manufacturing industry. What you might be able to do is say, well, "I need that particular type of raw material. But what I can do is instead of having it in dust form, I'm going to ask for it to come in pellet form and I can manufacture it that way." Think aspirin and paracetamol - you know, that's really compressed dust that we can then take in a safe way. It might be that we can look at isolation. So if you've got a particularly dusty job, it will be containing it into a room or if you're outside, you know, maybe sort of tenting it or putting some barriers around it to stop the dust sort of flocculating - we call it - into the air and becoming airborne. If you can't do that we need to start looking at how we can extract that dust so that might be through things such as local exhaust ventilation systems, you know. You can get them designed specifically for your workplace; they needn't be expensive although obviously there will be a cost involved with that and there will be ongoing maintenance and making sure that you are regularly testing it to ensure that it complies with the legislation as well. Other simple measures can be things such as simply good housekeeping, you know, sort of making sure that if you're creating dust, you're clearing it up at the end of the day. So containment, you know. A simple control measure that you can use there is something like a vacuum cleaner, rather than leave dust lying around, simply hoover it up, contain it and dispose of it in a safe way. And then you're removing that hazard from the workplace as well.
Duncan
Okay. Isn't the reality though that most employers will just rely on PPE, personal protective equipment?
Rachel
Well, unfortunately, yes. It's always the simple one that everybody jumps straight to because it's quick. It's, you know, you can order a mask or you can go out and buy it from your local Screwfix etc., and it's an instant fix. However, that hazard is still present in the air. So you're really relying on making sure that the staff are wearing it correctly. Cast your mind back to the days of coronavirus and we all had to wear face masks. The amount of people that I used to see wearing their masks like that so they weren't actually covering and it was doing no good at all. So, again, those face masks and PPE are only good if people are actually wearing them correctly. It's also very easy for an employer to get the wrong type of face mask. So for example, an FFP2 filter filters out about 94% of the particles in the air, which is good. You know, and again, depending on what hazardous substance is, that may well be enough. If you're just exposed to things like talcum powder, for example, or if you are working in a hairdresser's, that would probably suffice. However, if you're working with slightly more hazardous substances, you would need to up the grade of your face mask to an FFP3 filter, because that filters 99% of those particles. So again, it's a much stronger control. But again, staff need to wear it correctly, they need to maintain it and they need to replace it regularly. So it's always better to rely on those engineering solutions rather than on PPE.
Duncan
Yeah, I understand that. I mean, it's obvious why people go for face masks, because they're relatively cheap. But the engineering solutions you've talked about, is there not a risk that they're always going to come in on the expensive side?
Rachel
Well, yes. But as I say, you know, it can be as simple as a £99 Hoover off of Amazon or off Screwfix Direct, you know. It doesn't have to be a really bespoke, all-singing, all -dancing LEV system. As long as you're containing and controlling that dust, that's a really good way of going. However, it's really important to remember that the controls that you implement must be proportionate to the risk. So a Henry Hoover, for example, would be no good if you're handling asbestos dust because it just simply is not enough. So you need to really fully understand, going back to what we discussed earlier, fully understand what the hazardous substance is, and therefore that will help you decide what type of cost-effective controls you can put in place. And of course, one of the easiest controls that you can do is to train your staff. If they know what the risk is, if they can understand what some signs and symptoms of overexposure might be, you know, if they participate fully in any health surveillance, any monitoring that you're doing, it can really help them understand that their good working practices can really reduce their exposure to dust.
Duncan
Okay, well look, thank you, Rachel, I've learned a lot about dust. I should also point out that there are other outlets than Screwfix and Amazon to purchase vacuum cleaners! But just before we go, have you got any final nugget you can leave us with in this whole subject of dust in the workplace and how to manage it?
Rachel
Yeah, I mean, really, I would say don't ignore it. It's very much on the HSE's radar at the moment, and they're upping their inspections on sort of LEV systems and exposure to dust in the workplace. If you don't address it, your business could have other costs involved, such as sick pay, covering for absenteeism if people are off sick, loss of your experienced workers, and you may be fined and prosecuted. And of course, if somebody has developed an illness, they are likely to put in a personal injury claim for compensation. So, again, you may find that your personal - sorry, your employer's liability insurance - premium may start to escalate. So turning a blind eye and just thinking, "Oh, well, there's dust everywhere", that's not really good enough and not what the HSE expects. So if your workers are exposed to dust in the workplace, don't ignore it. Make sure that you're at least trying to do something to reduce that risk and that will stand your business in good stead.
Duncan
OK, thank you very much, Rachel. That's brilliant advice. For more information about our range of health and safety products, several of which are now powered by AI, please do visit our website at www.lefebvre-uk.co.uk or give us a call on 01233 653 500 but for now thank you very much for sharing your time with us.

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