Safe practice

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations require employers to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances in order to prevent ill health and ultimately protect their employees. These materials include chemicals, fumes, dusts and gases which can lead to work-related illnesses such as lung disease, asthma, cancer and infection from biological agents. 

If an employer doesn’t comply with the COSHH Regulations, they could face a decrease in productivity due to workers taking sick leave, civil claims or prosecution, all potentially leading to a decrease in income for the business. Employing an occupational hygienist can help to prevent these happening.

Occupational hygiene

Occupational hygiene is the scientific discipline devoted to the recognition, assessment and control of health risks at work. Workplaces continue to expose workers to health hazards and the associated risks will always need to be properly understood and managed. With the use of good occupational hygiene practice, health risks can be eliminated or, at the very least, brought under control. Control solutions have been developed for many common hazardous substances and processes. For example, the effects of working with or near asbestos and how to control them are well understood.  

An occupational hygienist can help employers to identify or develop methods to control or eliminate workplace hazards in the most efficient and effective ways. Such measures may include introducing alternative substances, modifying or enclosing the process, installing appropriate local ventilation, implementing good working practices or, as a last resort, by recommending the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including respiratory protection.

Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

Although RPE is seen as a last resort for controlling exposure to workplace pollutants, it is, nevertheless, often needed to provide protection against many common workplace hazards, particularly for workers who are mobile, working remotely or where workplace conditions are constantly changing. RPE provides an additional level of reassurance when other forms of control, such as extract ventilation cannot be solely relied upon to give adequate protection.

However, RPE is only effective when correctly selected, properly worn and carefully maintained by trained staff. The selection of the right type of RPE is crucial. For example, a mask specified for a dust will not protect against solvent vapours or toxic gases. Different types of RPE afford different levels of protection. The selection must not only account for the amount of airborne pollutant likely to be present but also how toxic it is and what effects it can have. Consideration also needs to be given to whether an adequate concentration of oxygen can be guaranteed. Great care needs to be taken to get all of this right and professional occupational hygiene advice may be required.

RPE will continue to be an important feature in the workplace for the foreseeable future. Although it may seem to be a relatively straightforward means of exposure control, it has its limitations, which is why it has its place at the bottom of the hierarchy of control priorities. Nevertheless, it can be an important component of an occupational hygiene management programme.

BOHS publishes a Directory of Occupational Hygiene Services on an annual basis to enable any employer to locate an occupational hygiene consultant that is suitable for them. The directory can be downloaded at http://www.bohs.org/OHServices-directory/.