HEALTH HAZARDS
OTI 500
Trainer Course in Occupational Safety and Health
Hazards for
Construction Industry
1
OSH Act of 1970
 The purpose of the OSH Act is to
“assure so far as possible every working,
man and woman in the nation safe and
healthful working conditions and to
preserve our human resources.”
2
Routes of Entry
 Inhalation
– airborne contaminants
 Absorption
– penetration through the skin
 Ingestion
– eating
– drinking
3
OSHA Hierarchy of Control
Engineering
 Work
controls
practice controls
 Administrative
 Personal
controls
protective equipment (PPE)
4
Types of Exposure
 Acute
– Short term period between exposure and
onset of symptoms
 Chronic
– Long time period between exposure to an
agent and the onset of symptoms
5
Exposure Limits
Air Contaminants
OSHA
– Occupational Safety and Health Administration
 NIOSH
– National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health
 ACGIH
– American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists

6
Exposure Limits
Air Contaminants
 OSHA
– PEL, STEL, Ceiling
 NIOSH
– TWA, STEL, Ceiling
 ACGIH
– TWA, STEL, Ceiling
7
Exposure Limits
Air Contaminants
 TWA
– takes into account variable exposure through a
full shift, 8 hour work day
 STEL
– limit of exposure during a short period, 15
minutes
 CEILING
– absolute maximum level of exposure not to be
exceeded
8
Exposure Limits
Air Contaminants
 Legally
enforceable
– OSHA PEL
– OSHA AL (action level)
– OSHA EL (excursion limit)
9
Silica
Special Emphasis Program (SEP)
 Special
Emphasis Program--Silica
 OSHA’s Industrial Hygiene initiative
 Collaboration of OSHA Compliance
and Consultation Programs
SiO2
10
Why Target Crystalline Silica
Exposure?
 Widespread
occurrence and use
 Number of related deaths
 Number of exposed workers
 Health effects
11
Occurrence and Use of Silica
 SiO2
- basic component of sand,
quartz & granite
 Quartz - 2nd most common mineral
in the earth’s crust
 Airborne silica is produced by:
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Occurrence and Use of Silica
 Airborne
silica is
produced by:
–
–
–
–
–
–
sandblasting
rock drilling
foundry work
stone cutting
drilling
quarrying
–
–
–
–
tunneling jack hammering
concrete manufacturing
demolition
asphalt pavement
manufacturing
13
Construction Targeting
 jack
hammering
 rock drilling
 abrasive blasting
 concrete mixing
 brick and concrete block or slab
cutting
14
Permissible Exposure Limit
(PEL) for Silica
10 mg/m3
= ? mg/m3
% Quartz +2
PEL for respirable dust
containing a % silica.
15
Silicosis Prevention Program
 Medical
surveillance program
– baseline examination
• medical and occupational history
• prior to exposure
–
–
–
–
–
every 5 years if < 20 years of exposure
every 2 years if > 20 years of exposure
baseline chest x-ray
pulmonary function tests (PFT)
x-ray upon termination of employment
Source: OSHA SEP16
Silicosis Prevention Program
 Personal
air monitoring program
 Training and information on crystalline
silica
 Availability of air and medical
surveillance data to workers
 Respiratory protection program
Source: OSHA SEP17
Silicosis Prevention Program
 Hygiene
facilities and clothing change
areas
 Recordkeeping
 Personal exposures below the PEL OR
facility has an abatement program that
provides interim worker protection
 Housekeeping program
 Regulated areas
Source: OSHA SEP18
Health Effects
 Acute
- intense crystalline silica
exposure
 Accelerated - more intense exposure
over 5 to 15 years
 Chronic - 20 to 45 years prolonged
exposure to crystalline silica
19
Common Hazard
 Abrasive
 Paint
blasting
removal
 Renovation
 Road
& demolition
repair
20
Exposure Controls
Substitution
 Coal
slag (black beauty)
 Steel grit
 Aluminum oxide
 Wild stuff (frozen CO2,
walnut shells, baking soda
21
Exposure Controls
Wet Methods
 Water
suppression of dust
 Very effective method
 May be less efficient
 Requires supply of water and clean up
 Power tools with HEPA exhaust
22
Silica Case Example
 39
year old sandblaster diagnosed
with silicosis and tuberculosis after
22 years of abrasive blasting
– shortness of breath
– wheezing
– chest discomfort
– lung tissue samples - extensive fibrosis
(silicosis)
23
Silica Case Example
 49
year old man diagnosed with
silicosis, emphysema, and asthma
after 21 years of work as a tile
installer where he was exposed to
dust from cutting, drilling, and
working with grout. He was a
nonsmoker
24
Cadmium
29 CFR 1926.1127
 Blue-white
metal
 Grayish-white powder
 Found in lead, copper, and zinc
sulfide ores
 Compounds
– highly colored from brown to yellow and
red
25
Cadmium
29 CFR 1926.1127
 Uses
– electrode component in alkaline batteries
– stabilizer in plastics
– paints
26
Cadmium
29 CFR 1926.1127
 Short
term exposure
– irritation of upper respiratory tract
– constriction of the throat
– metallic taste
– cough
– flu-like symptoms
27
Cadmium
29 CFR 1926.1127
 Long
term exposure
– kidney damage
– lung cancer
– prostate cancer
28
Scope
 All
occupational exposure to
cadmium compounds
– in all construction work
• construction
• alteration
• repair
29
01/12/100
Covered Activities
 Wrecking
 Electrical
grounding
w/cadmium
 Salvage
 Installation of
 Use of cadmium
cadmium
products
containing paints
 Emergencies
 cutting, brazing,
burning, grinding Transportation,
disposal, and
or welding
storage
 Demolition
30
01/12/100
Definitions
 Action
level (AL)
– 2.5 g/m3
 Competent
person (29 CFR 1926.32)
– determines presents of cadmium
– regulated areas
– access
– PPE
– training
31
01/12/100
Permissible
Exposure Limit
PEL = 5 g/m3
32
01/12/100
Exposure Monitoring
 Prior
to performance
 Exposure at or above the AL
– relevant plans
– reports
– MSDSs
– other records
 Frequency
 Additional
?
monitoring
33
01/12/100
Initial Monitoring
 As
soon as practicable
 Higher concentrations
– monitor while conducting task
 Objective
data
 Documentation
– > 5 g/m3
– < 5 g/m3
34
01/12/100
Prohibited Activities
 Eating
 Drinking
 Smoking
 Chew
tobacco
 Apply cosmetics
OR
carry such products into regulated
areas
01/12/100
35
Methods of Compliance
 Intermittent
exposure
 Exposure < 30 days per year
 Engineering and work practice
controls are not feasible
– reduce exposure to lowest level
– PPE
36
01/12/100
Methods of Compliance
Employee
Rotation
37
Compliance Program
 Exposure
> PEL
 Written program
 Review and update as necessary
38
01/12/100
Other Requirements
 Hygiene
areas and practices
 Housekeeping
 Medical Surveillance
– 30 or more days > action level
– Communicating hazards
– Recordkeeping
39
01/12/100
Lead in
Construction Standard
29 CFR 1926.62
 SCOPE AND
APPLICATION
– Applies to all construction work where an
employee may be occupationally exposed
to lead.
– Excludes construction work covered in the
general industry standard.
40
Lead in
Construction Standard
 Applies
to:
– Demolition
– Removal and
Encapsulation
– New construction,
alteration, repair, or
renovation
– Installation of
products containing
lead
– Lead contamination/
emergency cleanup
– Transportation,
disposal, storage
– Maintenance
operations
associated with
construction
41
Selected Definitions
 LEAD
– Metallic lead
– All inorganic lead compounds
– Organic lead soaps
~ Excludes organic lead compounds. ~
42
Selected Definitions
 COMPETENT
 ACTION
PERSON
LEVEL
(AL)
– 30 g/m3
 PERMISSIBLE
EXPOSURE LIMIT
(PEL)
– 50 g/m3
43
Selected Definitions
 ALLOWABLE
(in g/m3)
EXPOSURE
400
# hours worked
44
Selected Definitions
 INITIAL
DETERMINATION
– To determine whether employees are
exposed at above the action level
– May rely on historical data
– May rely on objective data
45
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 INITIAL
DETERMINATION
– TASK 1 TRIGGERS:
• Exposure up to 500 g/m3
(10 x the PEL)
• Activities include:
– manual demolition of structures, hand scrapping
or sanding, heat guns, power tool cleaning with
dust collection systems, spray painting
46
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 INITIAL
DETERMINATION
– TASK 2 TRIGGERS:
• Exposure up to 2,500 g/m3
(>10 x the PEL, but less than 2,500 g/m3 )
• Activities include:
– using lead containing mortar, cleanup where dry
expendable abrasives are used, rivet busting,
power tool cleaning without dust collection
systems, movement/removal of enclosures
47
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 INITIAL
DETERMINATION
– TASK 3 TRIGGERS:
• Exposure > 2,500 g/m3
(>50 x the PEL)
• Activities include:
– abrasive blasting, welding, cutting, torch burning
48
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 POSITIVE
INITIAL DETERMINATION
– Exposure at or above the action level and
below the PEL
• Conduct monitoring representative of each
exposed employee
– May use historical data
– Additional monitoring - every 6 months
– Document
49
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 POSITIVE
INITIAL DETERMINATION
– Exposure at or above the PEL
• Conduct monitoring representative of each
exposed employee
– May use historical data
– Additional monitoring - quarterly
– Document
50
Exposure Assessment
Lead in Construction
 NEGATIVE
INITIAL DETERMINATION
– No exposure at or above the action level
– Additional monitoring is not required unless
there is a change in:
– equipment, process, control, personnel or task
resulting in levels at or above the action level
– Document
51
Methods Of Compliance
Lead in Construction
 Engineering
Controls
 Respiratory
protection
 Compliance
program
 Mechanical
ventilation
 Administrative
 Good
controls
work practices
52
Respiratory Protection
Lead in Construction
 REQUIRED:
 While engineering and work practice
controls are being installed or implemented
 During activities when engineering and
work practice controls are not feasible
 Where engineering and work practice
controls are not feasible to reduce
exposures below PEL/AL
 In emergencies
53
Respiratory Protection
Lead in Construction
 Must
be provided whenever an
employee requests a respirator.
 Must
provide a PAPR whenever
an employee requests one and it is
protective against the level of
exposure.
54
Exposure > PEL
Lead in Construction
 Respiratory
 Personal
 Change
protection
protective equipment
rooms
 Showers (where feasible in construction)
 Eating
 Hand
facilities
washing facilities
55
Housekeeping
Lead in Construction
 Maintain
surfaces as free as
practicable of lead accumulation.
56
Medical Surveillance
Lead in Construction
 INITIAL
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
– Exposure > AL one day
 MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE
PROGRAM
– Exposure > AL for more than 30 days per
year
57
Medical Removal
Lead in Construction
 Two
blood lead levels > 50 g/dL
 Return
- < 40 g/dL
 Benefits
58
Employee Training
Lead in Construction
 EXPOSURE
> AL
 ANNUALLY
59
Recordkeeping
Lead in Construction
 EXPOSURE
DATA
– At least 30 years
 MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE
– Duration of employment plus 30 years
60
Recordkeeping
Lead in Construction
 MEDICAL
REMOVAL
– At least duration of employment
 OBJECTIVE
DATA
– 30 years
61