제  목 : GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD BUSINESS employers' guide
  일  자 : 1998년 07월
  제공처 : Internet

      GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD BUSINESS employers' guide
      ==============================================

  

     Welcome to Phase 3 of the Health and Safety Executive's largest ever
     campaign: Good Health is Good Business. The campaign's aim is to
     stop people being made ill by their work. As a manager you have
     responsibilities to manage your activities to prevent work-related
     ill health, and it is HSE's responsibility to help you do this. As
     well as avoiding the unnecessary illness and suffering that work can
     cause, Good Health is Good Business will help you make improvements
     that can benefit your business in other ways.

     There is a wide range of workplace health risks, as this guide
     explains, and they can all be managed in a similar way. To help show
     this, Phase 1 of Good Health is Good Business focused on three very
     common risks: noise, musculoskeletal risks and respiratory
     sensitisers. Phase 2 focused on work-related dermatitis, and
     work-related cancer, including asbestos. Phase 3 focuses on hand arm
     vibration syndrome and industrial solvents. Whether or not these are
     specific problems in your workplace, I would urge you to use the
     campaign to your advantage.

     You can take part in HSE's campaign by reading this booklet, getting
     more information, and taking action. This booklet will tell you what
     you need to start with. We will be continuing to run seminars and
     workshops to help you at sector, regional and national levels. Look
     out for adverts and articles in the press.

     Remember, good health means good business for your business.

     FRANK J DAVIES CBE OStJ
     Chairman, Health and Safety Commission

      MAKE HEALTH YOUR BUSINESS
      A special video from HSE

  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced a special video to support
 the Good Health is Good Business campaign. The video features Sir John
 Harvey-Jones and shows how occupational health risks have been managed in a
 number of different companies in a range of industries.

 The measures needed to control health risks can often be
 simple and inexpensive. The video describes how workplace
 health risks can be identified and controlled by following a
 simple four-stage approach:

      check the workplace to find out if you have a problem
      decide what to do
      take action
      check what you have done

 Some other recent videos on health in the workplace are:

 

 An introduction to the range of health and safety signs and symbols in the
workplace

 Hard to handle - with vibration solutions
 A pack to help you manage vibration risk, protect your employee's health and
 improve your business

 Rash decisions
 Work related dermatitis - its causes, effects and prevention

 A matter of life and breath
 Work related asthma - the causes, effects and how to prevent it

 Safe use of printing chemicals: COSHH and substitution
 Explanation of the basic steps of a COSHH assessment

 

 A guide to occupational health issues for people who work in agriculture and
horticulture

 To buy any of these HSE videos just complete the form in the centre pages of
this booklet and return to HSE Videos, PO Box 35, Wetherby LS23 7EX.

      HEALTH RISK MANAGEMENT
      Preventing work-related illness

 An estimated two million people suffer from ill health caused by work. Some 20
million working days are lost each year as people take time off because work
has made them ill.*

  So, no matter what business you are in, work-related illness should concern
 you as a manager. It can occur in any size of company - even the smallest.
 Indeed, the smaller your company the greater the impact will be if your staff
 are made ill. Work-related illness can also take many different forms.

 The problems may go unnoticed, slowly getting worse over time until the
 illness caused becomes permanent and possibly disabling. In some instances
 problems can even lead to death.

 This unnecessary effect on employees' health costs British industry several
hundred million pounds every year. Do you know what work-related illness costs
you in sickness absence; lost production; retraining; administration; or
increased insurance premiums, to name but a few? But both the pain and
suffering and financial losses can be avoided by companies who understand the
causes of work- related ill health and take steps to manage and prevent it.

 The Health and Safety Executive is running a major campaign to help you as a
manager manage the health risks in your workplace. This guide introduces
health risk management and points you in the direction of further help and
advice. Managing health risks need not be difficult or costly - you can do it
- and you will be taking part in the HSE campaign.

 * Figures based on 1995 self-reported work-related illness survey

    Prevent ill health caused by work today and start protecting your
                     staff and your profits.

      WHAT IS WORK-RELATED ILLNESS?

 Work-related ill health, also known as occupational ill health, describes any
illness an employee suffers because of the hazards they have been exposed to
at work. Work-related illness is often viewed as the domain of specialists.
Actually it is your responsibility as an employer to manage your activities
and stop your employees being made ill by their work.

 As you can see from the examples in the chart opposite, there is a wide range
of health risks capable of causing a variety of illnesses. This list is not
exhaustive - if you do not recognise a risk it does not mean your staff are
safe. You can use this list to start thinking about the types of problems you
might find in your workplace. Remember - even smaller businesses such as
garages, hairdressers and farms are at risk.

  HEALTH RISK
                                 ILL-HEALTH EFFECTS
  Handling heavy or awkward loads. Poor
  work postures; repetitive or forceful
  movements; a combination - eg
  repetitive assembly and inspection
  work.
                                 Musculoskeletal disorders - eg bad
                                 backs; pains, strains and sprains;
                                 'RSI'; upper limb disorders.
  Breathing in and handling hazardous
  substances - eg asbestos; solvents;
  isocyanates, wood, grain and silica
  dust; sheep dips; other chemicals.
                                 Cancer; asthma; bronchitis; fibrosis;
                                 poisoning; dermatitis; burns.
  High noise levels - eg from noisy
  tools and machinery.
                                 Deafness; tinnitus.
  Vibration - eg from hand-held tools;
  regularly driving vehicles.
                                 Vibration white finger with pain in
                                 fingers and loss of grip; low back
                                 pain from whole body vibration.
  Exposure to radiations - eg from
  x-ray work; ultraviolet radiation
  from prolonged outdoor work;
  infra-red; lasers.
                                 Burns; skin complaints; eye damage;
                                 cancer.
  Exposure to biological agents -
  viruses, bacteria, fungi and
  parasites - eg in health care,
  agricultural and laboratory work.
                                 Mild sickness to serious diseases - eg
                                 orf; hepatitis B; legionnaires'
                                 disease.
  Stressors - eg excessive workload or
  work pace; conflicting priorities.
                                 Can contribute to high blood pressure;
                                 heart disease; depression.

      MANAGING THE HEALTH RISKS

 Whatever the health risk, the way to prevent ill health is the same - good
 management. Health risk management is about identifying and controlling risks
 before they cause problems and lead to losses. The stages are outlined below:

 1. FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM

     Take a fresh look at your workplace to find out what hazards your
     employees face. Watch them at work - look at how they work and what they
     work with.

     Talk to your staff, find out if their work is affecting their health -
     remember, even trivial complaints can become major problems.

     Look at your sickness absence records for clues.

     Get advice from suppliers on working with their materials. Look at the
     hazard information on safety data sheets and manufacturers' and
     suppliers' guidance. Remember - not all hazards to health are obvious.

 2. DECIDE WHAT ACTION TO TAKE

      Look at the hazards and decide who might be at risk and how:
      carry out a risk assessment.

      Decide whether existing precautions are adequate - should
      more be done?

      Identify what steps need to be taken to remove or control
      the risks.

      Decide which health risks should be given priority for
      action.

 3. TAKE ACTION

     Make the improvements you decide are necessary.

 4. CHECK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

     Check that any targets you set to reduce health risks have been reached.

     Make sure control measures, eg ventilating plant, automated manual
     handling equipment, are maintained and working properly.

     Check sickness absence records for improvements and discuss the changes
     with your employees.

     Ensure personal protective equipment is used properly and maintained in
     good working order.

 Of course, good management is an ongoing process. You will need to revisit
 these steps when you make changes in your workplace, for example when
 considering new equipment or processes. Good health risk management will
 anticipate problems rather than deal with them after you have made an
 investment and find your staff becoming ill.

      CASE STUDIES

 VIRGIN ATLANTIC

 "We are fully supportive of HSE's initiative and have participated in the
European Weeks for Safety ＆ Health. Although we regard health and safety as a
year round activity, this type of event provides a focus and helps to raise
awareness.

 Oue aim is to promote health and safety within Virgin Atlantic as well as
getting local companies to consider their own health and safety management.
For example, we held a breakfast briefing which engendered a feeling of mutual
assistance between organisations geographically local to each other, despite
being fundamentally different business operations.

 Virgin will always take the opportunity to participate in HSE's campaigns.
When confronted with statistics like thirty three million working days lost
due to workplace accidents and illness in the UK, every responsible employer
must realise the shared benefits of co-operating with neighbours and fellow
business colleagues.

 I commend such initiatives and can verify that real benefits can be gained.
Risk asssessment, loss reduction and hazard identification are becoming
accepted as part of day to day working activities. Sharing these lessons with
small business and contractors will yield benefits not only for the company,
but the wider community which extends throughout the UK and Europe"

              Russ Timpson Safety, Health and Environment Manager

 In one Midlands factory, excess material from a component casting process was
removed using a large pedestal grinder. The operator had to hold each
component firmly and then push it against the grinder and its support.
Vibration to the hands was extremely hazardous, mainly because the support was
poorly built. A new support was constructed which brought the amount of
vibration well within acceptable levels.

 By reviewing their use of chemicals, a fish processing company helped
safeguard their workers' health and made cost savings at the same time.
Following the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations,
they stopped using chemicals that were not essential to the processing, and
found less hazardous alternatives to replace others. They not only reduced the
risk of ill health, but saved money and storage space by using a smaller range
of chemicals.

 A company with loud machines wanted to reduce noise levels to below 90dBA. The
workforce played a major part in the design and development of noise
enclosures which were fitted around noisy machines. The noise levels were
checked to see if the target had been reached - it had. The workforce felt
that management had demonstrated they were serious about improving working
conditions.

 Operators assembling transmission housings for helicopters used a ratchet
spanner to screw in steel pegs. Several operators reported elbow and upper arm
pain. The task involved a lot of forceful, awkward and repetitive movements,
which could have lead to serious upper limb disorders.

 The company introduced pneumatic nut runners costing about ?130. These screwed
in the pegs with a simple squeeze of the trigger. As well as reducing the
reports of pain and stopping the problems worsening, the company found the
unit assembly time nearly halved, and the product quality improved.

 A company installed ventilation equipment to control the dust made when
weighing out powdered chemicals. To make sure the equipment was effectively
reducing dust levels, the air flow rates of the ventilation equipment and
airborne levels of the chemicals handled were routinely measured. A fall in
air flow rates or high levels of dust triggered an investigation to find out
why the control equipment was not working properly.

 MacFish Ltd, Fraserburgh, Scotland

 The company has grown with regard to health and safety since it became
involved in the HSE European Week in 1994. There has been investment in plant
and equipment which has helped to reduce the manual handling of products at
various stages of production. The workforce has been made aware of issues
which affect them and they have been helpful in raising and implementing
safety initiatives. The growth has been testing at times and success has been
achieved on numerous occasions.

 MacFish Ltd was proud to participate in HSE's earlier Lighten the Load
campaign and is looking forward to improving health and safety in our
workplace. The company will be involved in future campaigns.

                          John Tallieu - Health and Safety Advisor

 Northampton General Hospital

 Running in parallel with HSE's campaign has been the 'Health at Work in the
NHS' - a health promotion programme to encourage healthier lifestyles and
safer conditions for patients and NHS staff. Once again, core elements focused
on health and safety issues; policies and risk management strategies, leading
to the Trust gaining two awards in the Health Promoting Trust Awards Scheme in
1995.

 These successes have only been possible with the backing and commitment of top
management, the acceptance of line management health and safety
responsibilities and co-operation of all 3000 hospital staff.

 A new Health and Safety Action Plan has been published. This will finalise the
purchase of manual handling equipment, such as patient hoists, and promote and
implement a new fire training programme for all staff.

                   Keith Backer - Health, Safety and Fire Officer

 The Cheese Company,
 Reece's Creamery, Cheshire

 The Cheese Company is committed to risk reduction and supports HSE's Good
Health is Good Business campaign. Our positive attitude to tackle occupational
health across the company has helped to reduce accidents by 40 per cent
against an increase in productivity of 25 per cent.

 A comprehensive programme of risk assessments carried out, some 900 across ten
sites, identified the key areas where we should invest our time and money to
achieve a reduction in accidents and improve efficiency.

 A broad range of projects have been progressed. Examples include: the
installation of mechanical lifting assistance through the use of vacuum
lifting heads at our Taw Valley Creamery in Devon and Oswestry packing
facility in Shropshire. In both instances, 20kg of cheese blocks are being
transferred from pallets to conveyers. End of line scissors lifts and
adjustable pallet trucks have also been installed, and similar equipment is
expected to be utilised at other sites when trials are complete. At our
Cheshire site, Reeces of Malpas, projects are underway to upgrade cheese
milling and pressing operations, reducing pulling and handling.

 Stilton Cheese packing at the Tuxford and Tebbutt Creamery, Leicestershire, a
traditionally multi-handling operation, has been modernised by the
installation of a cheese sorting and boxing equipment. Staff have also
received information and training on improved ways to 'paste, dress and
finish' Stiltons, which has greatly reduced the risk of injuries.

            Gordon Bell, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager

      INDUSTRIAL SOLVENTS

 The problem

 It is estimated that over seven million people in industry are exposed to
industrial solvents. Of these, over two million are routinely exposed, mainly
in the manufacturing sectors. There are literally hundreds of different types
of solvents, many of which can cause ill health if exposure is not controlled.
The health effects are varied but the basic steps necessary to reduce ill
health are similar and often can be carried out at little cost. Reducing
absenteeism due to ill health, reducing the risk of costly accidents and
improving your employees' performance will improve the efficiency of your
business.

 The risks and ill - health effects

 The most likely effects of solvents are irritation of the skin, eyes and
respiratory tract. They may also have an effect on the central nervous system
known as CNS depression sometimes called narcosis or anaesthesia. Contact with
liquid solvents can cause the skin to dry out, which may lead to the
development of dermatitis on prolonged or repeated contact. Solvent vapours
sometimes irritate the airways and lungs. Symptoms of overexposure to solvents
may include headaches, nausea, dizziness and impaired co-ordination. Very high
exposures, in certain circumstances, may cause unconsciousness, and in some
cases, even death.

 Why employers should take action

 The primary reason for taking action is to reduce exposure to solvents and
prevent ill health in the workforce. Simple precautions may also reduce the
effect on the environment, reduce costs through better staff productivity and
improved solvent use.

Those organic solvents which may cause harm are subject to the Control of
Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994. These Regulations require
employers to prevent, or where this is not reasonably practicable, to control
employees' exposure to organic solvents. The Environmental Protection Act 1990
also requires companies to implement integrated pollution control measures for
prescribed processes by reducing emissions of solvents to the environment.

 High risk industries and processes

Solvents are used in a wide range of industries, but the risk does depend on
the process and how exposure is controlled. Some examples of industries and
processes using solvents are:

      chemicals manufacture
      printing
      manufacture of coatings (paints etc.)
      pesticide manufacture
      edible oil extraction
                                           pharmaceuticals manufacture
                                           rubber manufacture
                                           use of decorative finishes
                                           dry cleaning
                                           degreasing

 What you can do to prevent ill-health

     Follow the steps in HSE's Health Risk Management Guide

     Refer to key HSE publications for more guidance

     Guidance
     Health Risk Management: A Guide to working with Solvents
     Working Safely with Solvents: A Guide to Safe Working
     Practices An employers guide
     Control of Solvents in the Rubber Industry
     Safe use of Printing Chemicals:COSHH and Substitution Video
     Safe use of petroleum based adhesives (Guidance note for the construction
     industry)
     COSHH the new brief guide for employers

     The Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme also has a range of
     free publications which deal with the minimisation of solvent use and
     emissions. This helps to protect the environment and the health of
     employees and saves money as well ( Contact the Environmental Helpline
     0800 585 794)

      CASE STUDIES

 Dry cleaning

 Very high levels of operator exposure to perchloroethylene and excessive
 solvent use were two problems at Initial Garment Services Ltd Bradford
 (formerly Allied Garment Services) a dry cleaning company. To address these
 issues the company had the dry cleaning machines completely refurbished,
 installed a new ventilation system (incorporating solvent recovery), and
 introduced punch card programming to the machines to automate the wash and dry
 cycle. Checks reveal that occupational exposure is now significantly below the
 exposure limit and the cycle has been reduced from 90 to 50 minutes. The ?5k
 solvent recovery system has brought savings from reduced solvent usage of ?30k
 over the last three years. The solvent cost per wash cycle has been reduced
 from ?5.50 to ?1.35. The company reported that they can now dry clean to a
 higher standard, quicker and with reduced solvent usage.

 Degreasing

 How an employee solved a problem

 Flexonics Automotive Ltd (manufacturers of flexible couplings for catalytic
converters) were concerned about workers exposure to solvent vapour during
degreasing with trichloroethylene. Evaporation of excess solvent retained in
the recesses of the components (couplings) was not adequately controlled. An
employee suggested that they fabricate a metal cover to place over the
existing extraction cabinet, which enclosed the process.

 This case study demonstrates the important role of the employee in
contributing to workplace solutions

 Vapour de-greasing

 A manufacturing company for the aerospace industry (Flight Re-fuelling,
 Dorset) using solvents for degreasing metals sought to reduce the cost of
 solvents, operator exposure and environmental emissions. They replaced their
 six open-topped vapour degreasing tanks with two totally enclosed and two
 open-topped systems (with lids) and doubled the freeboard height. In addi-
 tion, draughts were reduced using screens and strip curtains.

 Checks reveal that operator exposure and environmental emissions have now
 been reduced significantly. Capital expenditure has been paid-back in two
 years and subsequent savings made of ?30k per annum.

 Metal paint stripping

 Exposure levels to dichloromoethane at Ribble Technology, Preston a metal
paint stripping company were 2 to 3 times the maximum exposure limit (MEL). In
addition, removal of parts by hand resulted in both skin contact and routine
spillages of quantities of solvent.

 Component baskets and a second hand hoist were purchased for loading and
unloading the parts, and a ventilation system was installed above the baths.
Monitoring shows that skin contact has been significantly reduced and exposure
via inhalation is now below the MEL. The time taken to unload the components
has been reduced from 60 to 20 minutes and, solvent losses from spillages have
been significantly reduced. The capital expenditure of ?2,500 has been
subsequently recovered from these reduced solvent losses.

      HAND-ARM VIBRATION

 The problem

  People who work regularly and frequently with powered hand-held
  tools or on other work processes which expose them to vibration
  through their hands are at risk of developing permanently
  disabling diseases of the hands and arms (Hand-arm vibration
  syndrome-HAVS). The most common and well known of these diseases
  is vibration white finger, but there are others which affect
  sensory nerves, muscles, joints and bones in the hands and arms.

  Hand-arm vibration exposure can occur in a wide range of
  industries and occupations with a wide range of tools, machines
  and processes.

 Over a million people are estimated to be exposed to hand-arm vibration at
work, and it is estimated that around 160,000 are exposed at levels where
there is a risk of developing HAVS. Currently it is estimated that around
36,000 people have a serious level of the most common disease, vibration white
finger.*

Claims against employers for Vibration White Finger (VWF) represent around 5%
of all employer's liability claims.

* Figures based on 1995 self-reported work-related illness survey

 The risks and ill-health effects

 Long term exposure to high levels of hand-arm vibration is known to cause
hand-arm vibration syndrome. There is a range of ill health effects including
painful finger blanching, numbness and tingling and loss of manual dexterity.
These effects may limit the sort of work people can do. For example working in
cold or wet conditions could trigger a painful attack of finger blanching for
those who have vibration white finger, which may rule out outdoor jobs. Even
leisure activities such as fishing, going to football matches, swimming and
cycling could be affected.

And once the damage is done it is unlikely to improve even if exposure to
vibration stops.

Why employers should take action

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 require employers
to assess the risks from hand-arm vibration and to take preventive action. The
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 require employers to take
account of vibration emissions when selecting equipment for employees to use,
to make sure it is used properly, and to ensure it is maintained properly.

Generally, devising ways to make sure that employees are not working with high
vibration equipment will often lead to more efficient ways of working giving
improved quality and increased output. So tackling vibration makes good sense
both for your employees and for your business.

High risk industries and processes

Workers affected come from a wide range of industries, principally:

  amenity horticulture
                           civil engineering
  construction
                           forestry
  foundries
                           heavy engineering
  mines and quarries
                           public utilities
  railways
                           shipbuilding
  shiprepair


The most common industrial tools and processes generating vibration include:

  roadbreakers
  hand-held grinders
  needle guns
  riveting hammers
  pedestal grinders
  brush cutters
                           chipping hammers
                           orbital sanders
                           nut runners
                           rock drills
                           chainsaws
                           strimmers


 What you can do to prevent hand-arm vibration syndrome

     Follow the steps in HSE's Health Risk Management Guide
     Refer to key HSE publications for more guidance
     Guidance
     Hand-arm vibration (HS(G)88)
     Vibration Solutions (HS(G)170)
     Hard to handle (Video)

      CASE STUDIES

 Introduction of lower vibration tools

      At one shipyard employees were using electrically powered
      angle grinders with 225mm discs to dress welds and fettle
      metal fabrications. These large and heavy tools were being
      used by the operator for an average of one to three hours per
      day exposing them to hazardous levels of hand-arm vibration.
      The company decided to review all the grinders on the market
      to see if lower vibration models were available. They were
      able to identify a new pneumatically powered model, featuring
      automatic correction for disc imbalance, which had half the
      vibration levels of the old tools. The employer replaced the
      old grinder with the new low vibration models. Further tests
      with this tool showed that using softer grade discs improved
      the metal removal rate by 40% compared with the old tools,
      significantly increasing efficiency. The new grinder is also
      lighter and less tiring to operate.

 Using different types of machines to reduce vibration exposure

 Employees at a ceramics factory used a pedestal grinder to remove blemishes
from the ceramic ware which exposed them to hazardous levels of vibration. The
employer decided to replace the pedestal grinders with specially designed
bench top belt grinders and polishers which produced half as much vibration as
the old pedestal grinders. They also required less skill to operate, doubled
the output and were less noisy.

 Maintenance and training programme to avoid deterioration of vibration
 performance of tool

 A rivers authority was using low vibration chainsaws to clear river banks and
watercourses. However, tests showed that lack of maintenance had lead to
increased vibration levels from these tools. Isolation bushes had perished and
become ineffective, and chains had become blunt and were cutting at one third
the speed of a sharp bladed chainsaw leading to workers having to use them for
much longer to complete a job. The company decided to develop a planned
maintenance programme to ensure that chainsaw parts are replaced before they
stop working. They also gave the operators training in correct maintenance and
adjustment of their chainsaws.

      WORK-RELATED DERMATITIS

 The problem

 Few people realise what a serious and debilitating disease work-related
dermatitis can be until it happens to them. It is caused by the skin coming
into contact with certain substances at work. Because of this it is sometimes
called 'occupational contact dermatitis'. An estimated 66,000 people have a
skin disease caused by their work, resulting in an estimated 660,000 working
days lost in a year.*

* Figures based on 1995 self-reported work-related illness survey

 The risks and ill-health effects

Symptoms of the condition can be redness, itching, scaling and blistering of
the skin. If it gets worse the skin can crack and bleed and the dermatitis can
spread all over the body. It can be extremely painful - bad enough to keep
people off work and serious enough to force them to change jobs.

 How quickly it develops really depends on the substance, its strength or
potency, how long and how often it touches the skin. Some things might cause
symptoms from almost the first day of contact with the skin. Some might take
weeks, months or even years to cause work-related dermatitis. Sometimes it can
be caused by a combination of factors - for instance the combination of wet
hands and detergents.

But with a little care most cases can be prevented.

Why employers should take action

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 and the Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 require employers to assess
the risk of dermatitis and to take action to prevent it. Also, dermatitis
costs money - from sickness absence, loss of production, staff turnover,
retraining, etc.

High-risk industries and processes

Occupational dermatitis occurs in virtually all industries and business
sectors. But the industries where it is most widespread are:

  Hairdressing/Beauty Care
  Cleaning
  Engineering
  Rubber
  Agriculture/Horticulture
                           Catering
                           Construction
                           Printing
                           Offshore
                           Health services


Substances as diverse as cement, shampoos, detergents, metal working fluids,
lubricants and oils, certain chemicals and printing inks, and the sap from
certain agricultural crops can cause occupational dermatitis.

What you can do to prevent dermatitis at work

     Follow the steps in HSE's Health risk management guide
     Refer to key HSE publications for more guidance
     Regulations
     The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994.
     Guidance
     Guidance for employers and employees - new occupational dermatitis
     leaflet
     Video
     Rash decisions

     Please see order form

      CASE STUDIES

 Effective management of work-related dermatitis

A company manufacturing vehicle engines started to receive complaints about
skin irritation from machine operators involved in grinding operations. This
was thought to be due to the effects of the metalworking fluids used. The
factory manager consulted a different metal working fluid supplier, who gave
advice on the overall management of metalworking fluids including the correct
mixing of water-based fluids and how to test the condition of the fluid. The
company also installed an automatic fluid mixer and started to use a new high
quality metalworking fluid. As a result the problem of skin irritation
disappeared. The changes resulted in considerable financial benefits to the
company: effective management of the fluid meant that much less of it was
used, the machine down time was reduced because fewer fluid changes were
needed and there was less waste to dispose of.

Gaining efficiency through health policy

CNC (computer-numerically controlled) lathe operators in a company
manufacturing precision components from brass, stainless steel and aluminium
for the aerospace industry complained of skin rashes.

The company sought advice from a new fluid supplier, and changed to using a
high-quality fluid they recommended. Not only did this eliminate skin
irritation, but the company was able to increase tool life by 40 per cent.

Controlling health risks through prevention

About 200 workers in a nursery were affected by an outbreak of dermatitis
caused by the unique combination of celery sap and sunlight.

The next year, the company warned all workers of the dangers and advised them
to wear long-sleeved shirts and rubber gloves, wash gloves and hands before
meals, and not to sunbathe during breaks. They also created extra shade using
a mobile packing gantry. Regular checks for early signs of dermatitis
discovered one or two people with small rashes. These people transferred to
other work. No severe cases were reported that season.

      ASBESTOS

The problem: asbestos-related diseases

Breathing in air containing asbestos dust can cause asbestos-related diseases.
These are mainly cancers of the chest and lungs.

Asbestos-related diseases are currently killing an estimated 3,000 people a
year in Great Britain. This number is expected to go on rising into the next
century.

There is no cure for asbestos-related diseases.

There is usually a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the onset
of disease: this can vary between 15 and 60 years. The vast majority of people
now dying were exposed to asbestos during the 1950s and 1960s, when the use of
asbestos in the UK was widespread. This was before the current strict
regulations on work with asbestos, including bans on the supply and use of the
most dangerous types of asbestos, were introduced.

The risks

If it is intact, asbestos material does not pose a risk to health. It will
pose a risk to health only if asbestos fibres are released into the air, for
instance if the asbestos is damaged or worked on. That is why it is important
to manage asbestos materials.

The more asbestos dust inhaled the greater the risk to health.

Why employers should take action

The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 require employers to prevent,
or where that is not reasonably practicable, reduce to as low a level as is
reasonably practicable, their employees' exposure to asbestos. The cost of
cleaning up a building contaminated by asbestos through careless work can be
very high. Preventing employees' exposure will also reduce the likelihood of
compensation claims.

High-risk industries and processes

A quarter of the people now dying from asbestos-related diseases worked in the
building trade: they were carpenters, joiners, electricians, plumbers, etc.
People in these trades may still be at risk when they carry out refurbishment,
repairs or maintenance work on buildings that contain asbestos. Other workers,
not normally associated with the building trade, may also disturb asbestos.
For instance, gas fitters, computer cabling installers, fire alarm installers,
window blind fitters and telecommunications engineers could also be at risk.

People may also be exposed to asbestos in some manufacturing processes that
use raw asbestos. It is still used in some friction materials such as brake
pads and clutch linings, so businesses involved with the repair and servicing
of vehicles need to take care to ensure that their employees are not exposed
to asbestos dust when they are carrying out work on such items.

What you can do to prevent asbestos-related diseases

     Follow the steps in HSE's Health risk management guide
     Refer to key HSE publications for more guidance
     Regulations
     The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987
     Guidance
     For workplace building owners, managers and employers:
     Managing asbestos in workplace buildings
     Control of Asbestos at Work: Approved Code of Practice
     Employee leaflets
     Asbestos and you
     Asbestos dust: the hidden killer! Essential advice for building
     maintenance, repair, and refurbishment workers
     HSE pocket card: Asbestos alert for building maintenance, repair and
     refurbishment workers.

     Please see order form

      CASE STUDIES

Managing the risks from asbestos

A film production company decided to shoot a scene in a redundant power house
in a large studio complex. This involved pulling power cables and steam lines
between boiler pipes which had been lagged with asbestos. The production
company was not aware that asbestos was present, and the studio had not
advised them. The scene involved the use of a fan and a steam generator for
special effects.

During the filming, around 100 people - including crew and actors - were
exposed to asbestos released from the lagging.

HSE enforcers prosecuted the production company and the studio for failing to
assess the risks and for failing to ensure the health of the workers. They
were each fined ?10,000.

Effective management of asbestos

 A large council decided to carry out a survey of all its
 buildings to check for the presence of asbestos and to
 assess its condition. As a result of the survey the
 council now keeps a central record of the location of
 all asbestos materials. All repair and maintenance work
 is also co-ordinated centrally, and workers are informed
 if the material they are working on contains asbestos.
 As an additional safeguard, all asbestos materials are
 labelled. The council therefore has a system in place to
 prevent workers from unknowingly working on asbestos
 materials.

      WORK-RELATED CANCER

Work-related cancers can often cause premature death. It has been estimated
that 4% of all cancer deaths may have a work-related cause. This amounts to
about 6,000 deaths a year (of which 3,000 are caused by exposure to asbestos).
Some of the agents (excluding asbestos) associated with occupational cancers
are described below:

Carcinogenic substances

Certain chemicals which are used in the workplace have the potential to cause
cancer and in most cases the law requires them to carry a label to say so. The
risk of a carcinogen actually causing cancer will depend on a number of things
-

     its potency.

     its concentration (either in the atmosphere or the raw material)

     its form (some substances may be more likely to cause cancer in certain
     forms - for instance hard wood dust is a carcinogen, but solid hard wood
     is not)

     how it is used

     the level of exposure

     the duration of exposure

It is essential that any substances or work processes which may cause cancer
are strictly controlled. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations (COSHH) require employers either to prevent or control exposure.
The HSE issues various publications which give advice on the control of
carcinogens, the most important of which is the COSHH General Approved Code of
Practice and the Carcinogens Approved Code of Practice.

     Guidance
     COSHH: The new brief guide for employers - IND(G) 136 L (rev)

     Please see order form

Ultraviolet radiation

Excessive exposure of the skin to ultraviolet radiation can increase the risk
of developing skin cancer. Most of us are exposed to ultraviolet rays from
sunlight and normally this does not pose a problem, but people whose jobs keep
them outdoors for a significant part of the working day, such as agricultural
or construction workers, market gardeners, outdoor activity workers and some
public service workers are most at risk.

Some people are more liable to skin cancers than others. People with fair
sensitive skin which burns easily are at most risk. The greatest hazard occurs
at the times of the day and periods of the year when the sun is most intense.
Outdoor workers should therefore be advised not to shed clothing while working
outdoors in the

summer particularly in the three to four hours around the middle of the day.
Other precautionary measures include wearing clothing to cover exposed areas
(e.g. hats, long-sleeved shirts) and the use of sunscreens to protect parts of
the body that are not easy to shade from the sun.

Employers have a key role to play in helping to get the message across to
employees. They can encourage a change in behaviour by advising the
precautionary measures to be taken while working in the sun.
      Further information
      The Keep your top on leaflet

      Single copies available free from HSE Books

      Please see order form

Ionising radiations

The risk of developing cancer is the most important effect of exposure to
ionising radiations. Data from HSE's Central Index of Dose Information (CIDI)
shows over 46,000 people are designated as classified persons under the
Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985. These are individuals who have a greater
risk of receiving significant exposure. The National Radiological Protection
Board has estimated that a further 200,000 individuals receive some
occupational exposure.

Ionising radiations may take the form of electromagnetic rays (such as x-rays
and gamma rays) or particles (such as alpha and beta particles). They occur
naturally (eg as radon gas and its decay products) as well as being produced
artificially. Risks arise from exposure to external radiation sources and from
the intake of radioactive materials into the body, usually by inhalation.

There are a large number of sectors where work with ionising radiation is
carried out, either directly or using instruments containing radioactive
resources. These include: the nuclear industry; medical/dental uses;
non-destructive testing; mining (particularly non-coal mining) and other
workplaces in areas prone to radon.

The Ionising Radiation Regulations 1985 require employers to ensure exposure
is kept as low as reasonably practicable and does not exceed specified dose
limits. Employers are also required to take a wide range of measures,
including the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision.

     Further information
     HSE Information Sheet Ionising Radiation Protection Series No 1 -
     Industrial radiography
     HSE Information Sheet Ionising Radiation Protection Series No 2 -
     Radiation doses - assessment and recording
     HSE Information Sheet Ionising Radiation Protection Series No 3 -
     Portable nuclear moisture / density gauges in the construction industry
     HSE leaflet Radon in the workplace

     Single copies available free from HSE Books

     Please see order form

     Copies of CIDI statistical summary 1996 are available from: Anne
     Loach, HSE, 6NW Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS

     NOISE AT WORK

The problem

 Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common
 causes of ill health in industry. About 1.3 million
 workers are thought to be exposed to noise above levels
 considered safe. Around 170,000 people in Great Britain
 consider that they suffer hearing loss caused by their
 work.* Civil liability claims represent about 80% of
 all occupational disease claims and about 50% of the
 value of all such awards.

 * Figures based on 1995 self-reported work-related
 illness survey


The risks and ill-health effects

Sound or noise at high levels can cause permanent hearing damage. The risk
depends on the noise levels and how long people are exposed to them. Working
in high noise can also make problems worse to those suffering from poor
hearing due to age or illness.
 Workers with damaged hearing complain of being
 isolated, frustrated and misunderstood. Age is no
 protection - the young can be damaged as easily as the
 old. Once ears have been damaged by noise, there is no
 cure. There is no effective treatment and hearing aids
 are only of limited use. People can also suffer from
 tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears that can cause
 unending suffering. Other effects may include increased
 stress, reduced efficiency and disturbed sleep.


Why employers should take action

The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 require workers to be protected from loud
noise. This means that you must reduce noise levels as far as is reasonably
practicable. If having done this the daily noise exposure level is

90 dB(A) or more, you must provide workers with ear protectors and mark the
areas in which they should be worn.

The result of such actions is fewer hearing problems for staff, reduced risk
of compensation claims, improved morale and increased productivity.

High-risk industries and processes

Workers affected come from all the major industrial sectors, principally:

  construction
                   agriculture
                                quarrying
  shipping and transport
                   forestry
                                entertainment
  drinks and packaging
                   textiles
                                potteries
  engineering
                   glass
                                rubber
  air transport
                   mining
                                printing
  metalworking
                   steel
                                woodworking
  offshore industries


The most common industrial tools and processes generating noise include:

  saws
                  presses
                            picks and drills
  riveting machines
                  grinding
                            dryers
  fans
                  engines
                            hammers
  fettling
                  welding
                            weaving
  many production lines


What you can do to prevent noise-induced hearing loss

     Follow the steps in HSE's Health risk management guide.

     Refer to key HSE publications for more guidance

     Regulations
     The Noise at Work Regulations 1989

     Guidance
     Reducing Noise at Work - Guidance on the Noise at Work Regulations 1989.
     ISBN 0 7176 1511 1 Price ?9.75
     Sound solutions - case studies on practical ways to reduce noise problems

     Hear this! INDG201 (Pocket card for employees)

     Please see order form

      CASE STUDIES

Maintaining equipment to reduce noise

A soft drinks manufacturer found that a pump used to transfer fruit juice
concentrate from storage drums to the product mixing tanks produced noise
levels of 103 (dB(A). On inspection, the pumps showed some mechanical
deterioration.

A complete overhaul - including rewinding the drive motor, replacing the motor
bearings, checking and cleaning the pump bearings, and repacking the pump
glands - reduced the noise by 27 dB(A).

Introduction active noise control

A six-bladed radial fan supplied air to move the cans along production lines
in a drinks canning plant. The company decided to introduce an active
noise-control solution.

The solution consisted of a digital signal-processing controller, which
produces a digital model of the noise. A signal microphone fed information to
the controller which then produced an inverse sound wave from a loudspeaker.
This 180-degree out-of-phase wave use destructive interference to cancel the
noise. A second microphone analysed the operation of the system and adapted it
continuously to take account of system changes. Tonal noise was reduced by 22
dB without interrupting the work process.

How one man improved staff efficiency with a gun

A company moulding plastic components, using compressed air guns to clear
powder deposits, measured noise levels of 105 dB(A) near to where employees
were working. By replacing the air guns' nozzles, at ?40 each, with ones
reducing the turbulence within the tube, noise levels were reduced by up to 10
dB(A). The new tools were also stronger.

Generating improved profits by generating less noise

In the car industry, one company found that the noise generated during the
machining of alternator end-castings was 104 dB(A). The solution was to apply,
at a cost of ?40, a simple damping treatment to reduce the amount of
vibration. As a result, noise levels decreased by 16 dB(A). In addition, the
quality of the cut improved and machining time was reduced.

      MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

The problem

Musculoskeletal disorders are the largest form of work-related ill health in
the UK. It is estimated that around 1.2 million individuals in Great Britain
suffer from musculoskeletal disorders caused by their work, resulting in an
estimated 11 million working days lost.* Musculoskeletal disorders were by far
the most common condition in the 1995 survey of self reported work related
illness - with around half suffering for five years or more.

* Figures based on 1995 self-reported work-related illness surveyHigh-risk
industries and processes

The risks and ill-health effects

Musculoskeletal disorders describe a variety of strain, sprain and over-use
problems affecting the body's muscles and joints. The back, neck, shoulders
and upper limbs are particularly at risk. Problems include everything from
backache and slipped discs, to upper limb disorders, tenosynovitis, repetitive
strain injury (RSI), pain, numbness, swelling and tingling in the hands and
wrists. Caused or made worse by people's work, the most serious cases can
result in permanent disablement if no action is taken, or action is not taken
in time.

Problems are usually caused by poor workplace design. Risks come from jobs
involving:

     poor working positions

     high levels of force and grip

     highly repetitive work

     difficult manual handling tasks including lifting, carrying, pushing and
     pulling

     too much bending, stretching or reaching

     poor working environment

     a combination of these things

Wh