RESPIRATORY HEALTH
CLEANING UP AIR QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION
As a big focus of the Environment Act 2021, the longstanding fight for clean air is being strengthened by a raft of new targets and legislation. Alex Minett, Head of Product and Markets at CHAS, outlines what businesses need to be aware of.
There’s little argument that good quality air is key to protecting
our health. In 2020, a landmark ruling by a
London coroner cited air pollution as a significant factor in the death of a nine-
year-old girl with asthma, while
the World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided evidence of links between air pollution exposure and multiple illnesses and diseases. Yet, it’s not just our health driving the change for cleaner air. The impact on the environment and the push for energy independence play a part in the air quality agenda.
With work well underway to develop legally binding air quality targets, businesses and their supply chains must ensure they are informed and ready to adapt to stay compliant.
AIR QUALITY TARGETS Long considered the most harmful air pollutant, fine
particulate matter (PM2.5) is the primary focus for air quality within the Environment Act framework, with two legally binding targets to be set by October 2022, both heavily weighted towards reducing PM2.5 emissions.
The first target is a continuous reduction of PM2.5 that can be measured in ambient air annually, while the second is a long-term target, with a minimum of 15 years, to stimulate public investment and focus on reducing population exposure to PM2.5 across the country.
There is currently no agreement on a safe level of PM2.5, but following consultation, a limit will likely be set and act as a standard for PM2.5 measurement.
IMPACT ON AND OFF-SITE In early 2022, DEFRA published updated statistics on
the primary sources of PM2.5 emissions for the UK in 2020 with manufacturing, industry and construction topping the table of culprits, taking the blame for 27%.
Businesses should start to prepare for increased scrutiny on any machinery that emits high levels of PM2.5 and other pollutants. Legislation is likely to look at proposals to drive the recall of products that fail to meet required environmental standards so ensure equipment is up to date with servicing and consider cleaner alternatives at an early stage where possible.
42
Action to lower emissions from all sources of air pollution can be seen across the UK, with enforcement powers handed to local governments and councils. This means at the tender and planning stages, businesses need to be aware of any local enforcement that may have specific air quality measuring in place, such as operating in an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). London has declared AQMA’s across all its boroughs, necessitating continuous air pollution monitoring on all major development sites with remedial action required if levels are deemed too high.
Businesses should also be attuned to whether they, or any of their supply chain, will be travelling through Clean Air Zones (CAZs). This includes being aware of the potential expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which explicitly targets road traffic pollution with zone entry fees for the most polluting vehicles.
“MANUFACTURING, INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR 27% OF PM2.5 EMISSIONS IN THE UK IN 2020.”
Via their latest, Clean Air for All Londoners Report, The London Assembly Environment Committee has called for further powers to regulate non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) via a user-charging scheme with penalties for non-compliant plant and machinery. They are also looking to lobby the government for requirements on all developers of construction sites to conduct detailed air quality monitoring.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ON-SITE? Portable air pollution monitors are widely available
and can benefit all sites that want or need to track their air quality.
It’s also worth remembering existing obligations to protect your workforce from harm. Consider portable clean air systems that filter out particulates and other airborne pollutants, particularly in mobile cabins and welfare spaces. Ensure PPE is provided, where required, and that it is fitted correctly and in good working order.
www.tomorrowshs.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
