ASBESTOS & HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
there is a risk of silica dust being raised into the environment through drilling, sprayed concrete lining and scabbling procedures.
To tackle these issues we use a low silica-based cement to try and substitute the higher risk cements. We also try and use specific tools and materials, such as precast lining, so we can reduce the risk of having spray concrete lining in some of our tunnels.
What role does the training of staff play in risk
management? We have a programme-wide induction so every employee working for Crossrail goes through a standard presentation on managing health and safety in the workplace which covers the main risks they face, including silica, air quality and dust. Everyone from day one is told that we are really serious about these dangers.
We also produce method statements on site which assess all the risks and explore how they are going to be controlled. Teams are briefed every day about the activities going on, the health risks and the controls in place so we ensure that risk management starts at a corporate level and is fed down to a site level and an individual activity level. Every time we undertake a project we redo that risk management process.
How do you stay on top of the conditions on site and ensure it is a safe
environment for the workers? We monitor air quality on a regular basis, using static monitors and also have procedures in place for some of our engineers to go out and monitor the air during high risk activities. On top of this we monitor individual’s health to stay abreast of any changes. We also employ an occupational hygienist who does detailed measurements using those statistics to ensure our controls and processes are still as effective as they were to start with – so we never rest on our laurels.
Our processes let us know when any levels of dangerous substances are too high and tell us what we need to do then, even if that means we need to stop work completely to find out
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what the issue is. A lot the issues occur when ventilation systems aren’t working as well as they should be, because the teams are navigating a lot of tight spaces, or after they have been turned off because of how loud they are.
“YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE BALL
WHEN YOU HAVE
CARCINOGENS IN THE WORKPLACE.”
We make sure there that we have a wet spray mixture, low silica concrete and use DEEE dust units, forced ventilation, as well as spray misters on tools to damp down as much dust as we can. We also know there are issues around spray concrete lining, in terms of waiting for the material to set, so we make sure there are exclusion zones in place where no one goes until it is dry. We also utilise restricted zones to inform everyone where the higher risk of dust is; so only those with the appropriate PPE go in.
Do you see any examples of workers at Crossrail badly affected by exposure to
dangerous substances? With carcinogens there is often a long latency effect so we aren’t going to know about significant illnesses straight away, however our health surveillance system hasn’t shown anything like this so far. We do encounter nuisance dusts and coughs, but whenever this happens it gets reported and we make sure people aren’t exposed to anything nasty. We have a fit-for-work procedure so we make sure workers are being adequately protected if their role involves them being exposed to dusty environments.
All staff are under a health surveillance programme and so receive a baseline health surveillance and follow up to make sure there has
been no deterioration to their health. Staff also have access to their health records and can take them to their next employers so we can see some accumulation of effect over time – it is a requirement of law to do a health record for all staff.
Are employers more focused on workplace accidents than
workplace health? Statistics from HSE, IOSH No Time to Lose and the BOHS Breathe Freely campaign have all recognised we need to place a greater emphasis on workplace health hazards, especially in the construction industry. Workers often only stay with a company for one project and aren’t part of a permanent workforce so we need to make sure we are looking after people ethically in the long-term.
The industry needs to learn that it is the activity, the environment and other surrounding factors that impact workers health. We need to ensure we keep training, and monitoring our review processes, because it is the only way we will know if things are working effectively. You cannot take your eye off the ball when you have carcinogens in the workplace.
What does the future look like
for Crossrail? We are constructing different buildings around the capital and so are increasing our risk of asbestos and lead exposure – with this in mind we are creating new risk assessments whenever we do a new project.
We use the skills of our occupational hygienist to quantify the risks and put the necessary controls in place. We also control a learning legacy website to show what we have achieved in the health and safety arena.
Crossrail has given us a great opportunity to drive up standards for the whole industry when looking at health and safety, both in terms of air quality and mental health. They are two areas we are keen to set a trend in the industry and we are really proud of what we have been able to do and the work we have started, which we are sure will be continued across the industry.
learninglegacy.crossrail.co.uk 29
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