At Auto Extract Systems, we’re proud to support the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) Go Home Healthy initiative. The HSE’s Go Home Healthy campaign has been portrayed as an ‘umbrella’ campaign to give specific guidance and information on the HSE’s three priority areas:
1. Occupational lung disease
2. MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders) and
3. work-related stress
We at Auto Extract Systems support the element of the campaign aimed at reducing work-related lung diseases. For the purposes of this article, we’ll primarily be focussing on occupation lung disease.
Occupational Lung Disease – The Key Risks
According to the latest HSE report: Health and Safety at Work – Summary Statistics For Great Britain 2019 report, there are 12,000 lung disease deaths each year estimated to be linked to past exposures work. Whilst 1.4 million workers are estimated to be suffering from work-related ill-health (new or long-standing illnesses) in 2018/19.
As part of the Go Home Healthy campaign, the HSE has produced an educational video to provide guidance for business. The video demonstrates how welders are exposed to welding fume and how without the control measures in place, they’re at risk of lung disease.
The video also demonstrates how local exhaust ventilation (LEV) should be positioned in the right location to effectively capture the welding fumes and control exposure. Click here to watch the HSE video.
In addition to welding fumes, dust and other pollutants can lead to life-changing, and even terminal lung disease; some illnesses include occupational asthma, silicosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Many workers may not be aware of the risks their occupations may be being exposed to. Symptoms may take a long time to prevail; and by then, it’s often too late. It’s critical that businesses take exposure seriously and implement effective control measures. Businesses should always ensure they’ve done everything that’s reasonably practical to reduce or eliminate exposure control, through thorough risk assessments.
By collecting information, tracking how processes have been improved to control exposure and monitoring worker’s occupational health should reduce the number of lost working days.
High-Risk Occupations
- Bakers
- Woodworkers
- Electricians
- Bricklayers
- Roofers
- Welders
- Paint Sprayers
Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)
In a bid to help reduce the risks of work-related lung diseases, Auto Extract Systems always recommend ‘at-source extraction’. At-source extraction reduces the risk of dangerous pollutants being in-hailed. This methodology reduces the toxic fumes in the surrounding air to help an employee to breathe easy and enabling them to Go Home Healthy.
The collection of fumes and dust ‘at-source’ is the most effective method for capturing fumes. This will ensure motor vehicle workshops are free from vehicle exhaust fumes and provide your business with a safer and more pleasant working environment. This creates a better atmosphere for staff and visitors and gives full compliance with HSE recommendations and compliance. To find out more about ‘at-source’ extraction and the solutions we can provide, you can browse our extensive range of LEV, at-source extraction products here.
Help Your Staff to Go Home Healthy!
To find out how you can help improve your workplace’s dust and fume extraction problems and enable employees to Go Home Healthy, Get in touch with us today to arrange your FREE site assessment and no-obligation quotation.
Our of P602 LEV Design Engineers will offer first-class customer service and support at every step of your project. We’ll even give you a 12-month installation warranty!
To find out more about the Go Home Healthy initiative, please get in touch with us on 01942 267444, or complete a form on our Let’s Chat page. In addition, keep in touch with us on our social media channels, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for updates.
