Dust-related respiratory diseases: COPD

What are the symptoms of COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term illness that makes breathing difficult.

The lungs and breathing tubes are damaged making it difficult to get air in and out. Walking up a hill, playing football or even playing with your grandchildren can become difficult because of shortness of breath.

Other common symptoms include;

• a persistent chesty cough and phlegm
• wheeze
• more frequent and troublesome chest infections

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The risk of developing COPD is greatly increased if you breathe in dusts/fumes in the workplace and you smoke.

Both construction and brick making are occupational sectors where there is likely to be a risk of COPD. 

Remember that COSHH will apply to all dusts in construction

Step 1. Decide if there is a risk of exposure to dust.

COSHH requires you to consider the substitution of harmful products with less harmful ones.   If this is not possible then you must use adequate control measures.

COSHH requires that all controls be kept in good working order, including;

• Mechanical controls e.g. local exhaust ventilation, protective gloves
• Administrative controls e.g. supervision
• Operator controls e.g. following instructions

Step 2: Tackle the problem at source Think about this at the design phase to eliminate dusty processes.

• Use water for wet techniques including cutting, grinding or blasting and for suppression on dusty roadways ;
• Buy dust-reduced materials e.g. pellets, tablets, solutions or pastes and use pre-weighed material in sealed bags; 
• Segregate – put dusty machinery in a separate room or automate processes;
• Carry out risk assessments;
• Use effective Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).

Step 3: Decide if you need health monitoring something that HSE recommends.

Step 4: Decide if silica exposure is a risk (click here)

Remember Ventilation to remove dust should be considered before respiratory protection.

If you need to use respiratory protection make sure it is the right specification and that it is worn all of the time.

Power tools - reduce grinding and sawing and ensure all equipment is maintained to a high standard. KEEP MACHINES CLEAN.

Don't forget that once it is in the air it's not only the dust you can see, it's also the dust you can't see that's a problem. The dust particles that can get deep into the lungs are not usually visible to the naked eye.