Health Hazards in Construction

John Newquist
Draft 3 1 11
Worst Job?
Introduction
Top Ten Health Issues found by OSHA
Problem correlated to Overexposures
Effect Measure
Best Practices

Sampling Data 2004-2010, Region V, all
industries
Risk Factors in Construction
Daily change vs. fixed establishment
Many contractors at onsite who may create problems for
you
Turnover; who is responsible to train new employees?
Several tasks during the day

Factors increasing the health risk of construction
workers include:
Illness Prevention Basics
Management leadership
Employee Participation
Hazard Prevention and
Control
Education and Training
Program Evaluation and
Improvement
Communication and
coordination on
multiemployer sites
These elements exists in
some form in.
2100 VPP Companies
1600 SHARPs
1926.20, 1926.21
1910.119
ANSI Z9.10
OHSAS 18001
States AR, CA, LA, HI,
MN, MT NV, NH, NY,
OR, WA

Clean Air Paradox
Quality of Air
78.1% Nitrogen
20.9% Oxygen
0.9% Argon
0.03% Carbon
Dioxide
Units Seem Small
1 % = 10,000 ppm
PEL = Permissible
Exposure Limits
(OSHA)
5 Mg/M3 is very small
2 f/cc = 2,000,000f/M3

Health Effects
Irritation
Asphyxiation
Organ Specific Effects
Mutagen
Teratogen
Acute/Chronic
Reversible vs.
Nonreversible
Factors
Genetics
Age
Health status
Route of entry
Frequency and
duration of exposure
Exposure Limits
Animal Studies
Epidemiological
studies
Industrial Experience
STEL 15 minutes
Ceiling never
exceeded
Threshold Limit Value
Sampling
Qualified person
Appropriate
instrument
Duration of sampling
Pre and post
calibration
Hierarchy of Controls
Engineering
Administrative
Personal Protective
Equipment
Training
Past Health Hazards
400 BC Hippocrates
describes lead poisoning
in mines
1473 Ellenbog Mercury
Poisoning
1700 Dr. Ramazzini
published the first edition
of his most famous book,
the De Morbis Artificum
Diatriba (Diseases of
Workers)

I can hire one-half the
working class to kill the
other half. Jay Gould
Problem #1 Noise
BLS

125,000+ workers w permanent, hearing
loss since 2004

In 2008 alone, 22,000 hearing loss cases
were reported


#1 Noise
70% construction workers
were exposed to over
85dba*
30% over 90 dba*
Hearing Protection worn
20%*
Several processes
involving hammering,
cutting, blasting will cause
overexposure
Set up an effective hearing
conservation program
REMEMBER!
The aforementioned
applies to
overexposures above
90 dBA TWA
(Time-Weighted-
Average)
Effective hearing conservation
program?
Monitoring

Engineering, work practice,
and administrative controls

Hearing protectors with an
adequate noise reduction
rating

Employee training and
education in hazards and
protection measures
Baselines and annual
audiometry
Audiograms
Conduct a baseline analysis on all equipment
(New too!)
Employees can request personal noise monitoring
at any time at VPP sites
60 employees were tested in IL. It cost $29.00 per
person plus some labor cost (VPP)
Insurance carrier will charge $35.00 per person.
(VPP site)
#2 Lead
Many bridges have
lead coated surfaces
Requires compliance
with 1926.62
Overexposure can
occur in less than 5
minutes when torch
cutting or painting

Lead coating of bridge beams
usually requires an enclosure
Lead effects
Chronic overexposure - severe damage to
the blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and
reproductive systems
High levels will require medical removal
Bridge Painting/Removal continues to be
ones of the consistent lead issues in
construction
#3 Silica
Cutting, hammering,
drilling, blasting can
create high silica
levels
Use wet methods and
wear respirators
One of the oldest
occupational diseases

Tuckpointing has one
of the highest silica
generating process in
construction
Silica
150-200 deaths a year
(2004)
1150-1200 deaths a
year (1968)
Yet.one company
had 3 silicosis and
10x+ severe
respiratory diseases


#4 Copper Fumes - Welding
Copper is inhalation
hazard affecting
respiratory system
Mild steel (red iron)
and carbon steel
contain manganese
Manganese may
cause Parkinson's
disease

What do you see?
#5 Total Dust
All the things not
regulated.
Good, bad, or
indifferent?
Air blowing!
#6 Iron Oxide -Welding
Metal fume fever
Direct Draw or forced
ventilation should be
used
Personal Protective
Equipment should be
used
Bystanders should be
protected as well
#7 Carbon Monoxide
Generators are most
common problem of
CO
Heaters out of tune are
another cause
CO TWA is 50 ppm
Others set levels 25
ppm
#8 Hex Chrome
Stainless steel contains
nickel and chromium
Some cements

# 9 Cadmium
Overexposure to
cutting cadmium bolts,
coated poles
Torch cutting should
never be used
Use hydraulic bolt
cutters
Comply with
1926.1127
Cadmium bolts are often
found in sprinkler pipe use.
#10 Methylene Chloride
Paint stripping
Parts cleaners
Cancer causing

Asbestos
Common Fireproofing
material used pre-
1980s
Found in pipe
insulation, ceiling
tiles, and floor tiles
Must comply with
1926.1101
Heat Stress
Train the workforce
Perform the heaviest work in the
coolest part of the day
Slowly build up tolerance to the
heat and the work activity
(usually takes up to two weeks)
Drink plenty of cool water (one
cup every 15-20 minutes)
Wear light, loose-fitting,
breathable (cotton) clothing
Take frequent short breaks in
cool or shaded areas
Provide fans
Paint Solvents
Ventilation is required
or overexposure can
result
Fire Hazard
Electrical must be
Class I if within 20
feet during open
spraying with
flammable paints
Tank painting. What could go
wrong?
Waterproofing
Volatile compounds
are heavier than air
and toxic.
Death
Hazards similar to a
confined space
Confined Spaces
Manholes, pits, vaults,
tanks, are common
confined spaces
Ensure atmosphere is
safe by testing and
ventilating

Worker in a sludge pit exposed
to lead, arsenic, and cadmium
Diesel Fuel Exhaust
blue smoke (mainly oil and
unburnt fuel)
black smoke (soot, oil and
unburnt fuel);
white smoke (water droplets
and unburnt fuel)
Diesel Fuel Exhaust is
reasonably anticipated to be
a human carcinogen per
IARC
What else is toxic
in this ????
Back Strains
Many workers out in
construction with bad
backs
Due to lifting and
twisting constantly
Heavy loads should
have assistance via
machines or another
person
Workers shoveling under a
pipe. Safe or unsafe job?
Knee Strains
Housekeeping often a
common cause
Several $50,000 cases

West Nile
Use DEET or lemon
eucalyptus based sprays
for protection
Clothing can be treated
with Permethrin
Wear light color clothing
and reduce exposed skin
On The Horizon
Silica?
Noise?
Confined Space
in Construction?
Resources
WISHA has a good health in construction
presentation at http://wisha-
training.lni.wa.gov/training/presentatio
ns/HealthHaz.pps

Quiz
CO PEL is ___ ppm.
Name one place where cadmium can be found in
construction. ______________
____% Oxygen is in normal air.
Which color smoke from a diesel engine is a concern?
__________________
Overexposure can occur in less than ____ minutes
when torch cutting lead painted surfaces
The Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is for ____
minutes

Summary
A baseline hazard analysis for normal
routine tasks is accomplished by use of a
Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

Further
This ppt was prepared by John Newquist as a
preliminary aid for people required to evaluate
health hazards in construction
Thanks to Kim Stille and Richard Gilgrist for the
many training sessions on the subject
Janet Schulte for corrections and suggestions.
This is not an official OSHA publication. Those
will be on the OSHA.gov website.
My contact information is
Newquist.john@dol.gov or 312-353-5977 if you
see any errors.
This is a draft as of the date on the first slide.