Hazardous substances, health hazards and welfare on site
This domain tests chemical and health hazards that may not cause immediate injury, plus the welfare facilities that support worker health.
Core rules
- Hazardous substances need labels, safety data sheets, training, safe storage and the right PPE. A Chemical Health Risk Assessment may be required. Do not rely on smell to judge danger.
- Health hazards include silica dust, noise, vibration, heat stress and biological hazards. Control dust with water or extraction, control noise at source, and manage heat with rest, shade and fluids.
- Welfare on site includes clean toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, rest areas and changing facilities where needed. Welfare is a legal and practical control, not a luxury.
Worked example
Cutting concrete paving slabs with a dry saw creates respirable crystalline silica. The correct controls are wet cutting or extraction, exclusion of nearby workers, suitable respiratory protection, eye and hearing protection, and health surveillance where exposure is significant. The reasoning is that silica damage is cumulative; suppressing dust at source is more reliable than wearing a mask all day.
Traps
Do not use a dust mask as a substitute for water suppression. Do not store chemicals in unlabelled bottles. Do not treat welfare as optional. Do not ignore health hazards because there is no visible injury.