The British Safety Industry
Federation has officially
launched the Clean Air? Take
Care! campaign. Developed in
conjunction with the HSE and other
industry stakeholders, the campaign
aims to raise awareness of the
dangers of exposure to hazardous
substances such as dusts, fumes and
solvent vapours, which could cause
occupational respiratory diseases.

It is estimated that up to 12,000
deaths each year currently could be
due to past exposures to hazardous
substances. The FIT3 survey,
commissioned by the HSE, showed
that 21% of employers considered
their employees could face a risk of
breathing problems or asthma caused
by working with chemicals, dusts and
fibres. Another survey by HSE
indicated that 29% of workers
regarded themselves as regularly
having to breathe in dust or fumes
that could cause respiratory
conditions and nearly half thought
risks could be reduced. Those using
respiratory protective equipment
(RPE) are often still not adequately
protected due to poor selection, use
and maintenance of the equipment.

Resources have been designed to
create awareness by offering simple
advice to users and specifiers of RPE
at different levels in an organisation,
to enable them to correctly select and
implement a full respiratory
protection programme. Thought
provoking films and tools, including
a guide to RPE, workplace poster and
easy-to-follow selection guide, are
suitable for small, medium and large
industrial companies, and available
from www.cleanairtakecare.org. They
will also be available through RPE
distributors and manufactures.

Dr Bob Rajan OBE, HSE, (pictured)
says: “Although RPE looks easy, this
is not always the case and everyone
has lessons to learn. I am confident
that through the Clean Air? Take
Care! campaign these lessons will be
delivered with the support of stakeholders
and distributors. The range
of tools for employers and employees
will help ensure the important
messages get across and are absorbed,
bringing about a sustained behavioural
change within the workplace.”