Construction unions and employers publish silica guide
The EFBWW European construction union and FIEC employer body have published practical guidance and support on how the sector can comply with the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The 0.1mg/m3 limit was introduced by a 2017 revision to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive and came into force in member states, including the UK, in January 2020.
The new guidance is the result of a joint European Union-funded EFBWW and FIEC project, Reducing respirable crystalline silica dust effectively. A “mapping” document describes good and bad practice for different activities and contains recommendations based on exposure data and experience on construction sites. It explains how dust exposure can be kept as low as possible using a “traffic light system”.
In the UK, the Unite general union has given its backing to Hazards magazine’s Choked campaign calling for the OEL for RCS to be at least halved to 0.05mg/m³, with a phased reduction to 0.025mg/m³.