Health Assessment &

Surveillance
Health & Safety Management for Quarries

Topic Six
Objectives of this Section
To outline the difference between safety and
health hazards.
To demonstrate a practical methodology for
undertaking health risk assessments.
To outline the reasons for undertaking health
surveillance.
To identify some common health hazards
present in the quarrying industry.
Introduction
Health and safety law places a duty on
employers to ensure the health as well as the
safety of their employees.
Yet each year many more people become ill
as a result of their work than are killed or
injured in industrial accidents.
Most diseases caused by work do not kill, but
can involve years of pain, suffering and
discomfort for those affected.

Health and Safety
Problems with identifying health risks:
The health risk may not be understood or well
defined and the cause/effect relationship not
established.
Health risks tend not to attract widespread
publicity or demand the same urgent attention
as safety risks.
Health risks appear to have little, if any, short
term effect and it may be that ill-health does not
occur for many years after exposure.
Health and Safety
Health risks may be more difficult to address,
resulting in attention being directed to risks where
control is more visible and likely to attract tangible
benefits.
Comprehensive data on the occupational ill-health
may simply not exist in many cases and in practice,
the true extent of occupationally related ill-health may
be unknown.
Risks to health from work activities
include:
Skin contact with irritant substances,
leading to dermatitis etc.
Inhalation of respiratory sensitisers,
triggering immune responses such as
asthma.
Badly designed workstations requiring
awkward body postures or repetitive
movements result in upper limb disorders,
repetitive strain injury and other
musculoskeletal conditions.

Typical Health Risks
Noise levels which are too high,
causing deafness and conditions such
as tinnitus.
Too much vibration, e.g. from hand-
held tools leading to hand arm
vibration syndrome and circulatory
problems.
Exposure to ionising and non-ionising
radiation including ultraviolet in the
suns rays causing burns, sickness
and skin cancer.
Typical Health Risks
Occupational Health
Occupational health is about protecting the
physical and mental health of workers and
ensuring their continual welfare in their
working environment.
Occupational Health
Important aspects of occupational health
include:
Ensuring fitness and physical capability to perform
a job safely.
Health education and promotion.
Providing medical services including health
surveillance.
Rehabilitation after illness or injury.
Health Risk Management

Workplace risk assessment
Select control measures for:

exposure, and

spread of contamination
Measure Exposure:

airborne -OELs

Ensure use of controls:

information, instruction, training

rules and procedures

supervision
Ensure
continuing
effectiveness
of controls
Monitoring Programme

design

implement
Review if:

significant changes

new information

every 2-5 years
START
elimination
engineering
administration
personal protective equipment
No Risk
known risk
uncertain risk
STOP
Hazard Identification
Most hazards can be identified based on knowledge
and observation of the work activity, though specialist
advice or assistance may be necessary.

The most common agents likely to present health
hazards at quarries are

Weighbridge

Office Staff

Loading Shovel

Dumper

Plant Operator

Crusher Operator

Foreman

Driller

Shotfirer

Fitter

Electrician

Manager



















































?



















?















?



?







?







?



?







?





?

?



?













?

?

















?

?

















?











?

?





?













?





?

?











?

Dust

Noise

Vibration

Oil,
Fuel,
Grease

Skin
respiratory
sensitisers
Manual
handling

Eyesight

Welding
fume

Asbestos

DSE

Risk Assessment
The two major elements that need to be
considered are:

The potential consequences of exposure to the
hazard.
The potential exposure to the hazard.

Risk Assessment (2)

Potential
severity
Potential of
Exposure

Hazardous
properties

Physical form;

Quantity

Activities
Risk of
Harm
Potential Severity
The potential severity of exposure to the hazard
is related to the properties of the hazard. For
example:

The toxicity of a chemical.
The sound pressure level at the operators ear and the
frequency of a noise source.
The intensity and penetrability of ionising radiation.

Potential Exposure
Potential for exposure means the opportunity
to do harm. In assessing the potential
exposure to the hazard, it is necessary to
consider:
The proportion of the work force who are or will be
exposed to the hazard (in particular the frequency of
exposure and length of time of exposure).
Any risk reducing control measures that are in place
and their effectiveness in reducing the risk.

Potential Exposure

Where necessary some form of sampling and
exposure measurements should be undertaken to
determine the extent of the hazard at the time of the
assessment.
These can then be compared with any occupational
exposure limits (such as TLVs and OELs) that have
been set for the industry, as well as any in-house
standards.
Such exposure measurements may also assist in
determining any remedial action that is necessary.

Controlling the Risk
If the assessment of risk shows that further
action is necessary, then control measures
should be selected according to the hierarchy
of risk control:

Hierarchy of Risk Control

Elimination of the risk. This can be achieved through
redesigning the activity or equipment to eliminate the
release of the hazard.
Reduction of the risk at source through engineering
controls. This can be achieved by enclosing the
activity or equipment to capture and/or absorb the
hazard, dilute the hazard or release it into a safer
place.
Minimising the risk through procedural controls. This
involves implementing systems and procedures so
that work is carried out in a particular way that limits
exposure to the hazard.
Use of appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE).
Risk Control

The use of PPE is the last resort for the control of the
exposure of employees to hazards.
This is because PPE only protects the wearer and
then only if worn properly.
Situations where the use of PPE may be necessary
are:

Where adequate control of
exposure cannot be achieved by
the hierarchy.
As a stop-gap; measure until
those further measures have
been introduced.

Examples of Hierarchy of Risk Control:
Noise

Sound absorbent material around noisy machinery.
Use of sound absorbing wall and floor materials.
Cover the source of the noise (e.g. using hoods).
Arranging plant and equipment to create screens and
reduce the level of reflected sound.
Isolating workers from the noise source.
As a last resort provide comfortable PPE.
Ensuring the use of Control
Measures
This is a responsibility of both the employer
and employee achievable through adequate
instruction and training by:
Working procedures, codes of practice or other
procedural controls.
Educating the workforce on the hazards and risks
involved in their work and how control measures will
protect their health.
Effective supervision.
Proactive monitoring:
Sampling & Exposure monitoring
Active monitoring is achieved through
sampling and exposure monitoring in order
to:
Check the effectiveness of risk reducing control
measures, as a failure in these measures results in
an increased risk of harm occurring.
Confirm that Occupational Exposure Limits are not
exceeded.
Tie in with the medical surveillance programme.

Health Surveillance


Health surveillance means having a system
to look for early signs of ill-health caused by
work in order to:

Detect adverse effects early.
Prevent further harm being caused.

Health Surveillance

The criteria for carrying out occupational health
surveillance are:
There is an identifiable disease or condition
associated with the work.
There are valid techniques to detect the condition at
an early stage.
There is reasonable likelihood that the disease or
condition will occur in the particular circumstances of
the exposure.
That health surveillance will be of benefit to
individuals or groups of workers.
Appendix 1: Hazard information from
QPA Guide
Whilst dust is present in all quarries,
the nature of the dust presents differing
levels of risk. In general the highest
risk is presented by dusts containing
high levels of respirable crystalline
silica. Limestone may have no free
silica. Flint may be in excess of 90%.

Quarrying is a noisy industry, typical
levels being:
Primary Crusher: 89-108 dB(A)
Hand Drill: 106 - 110 dB(A)

Dust

Noise



Substance
/ Hazard

Possible
Ill Health
Effects

Exposure to dust can affect chest
health and can result in
pneumoconiosis or silicosis.

Long term irreversible hearing loss.

Appendix 1: contd


Dust

Noise

Control
Level

Routine atmospheric dust
monitoring is required. EH40
Occupational Exposure
Limits lists standards for
various dusts. E.g.
Occupational Exposure
Standards
Limestone 10mg/m3 total
inhalable dust/4 mg/m3
respirable dust.
Coal: 2 mg/m3 respirable dust
Kaolin: 2 mg/m3 respirable
dust
Maximum Exposure Limit
Crystalline Silica: 0.3mg/m3
respirable dust

The Noise at Work Regulations
1989 set out three action levels:
1
st
Action Level 85 dB(A) L
EP,d

-assessment must be carried out
-ear protectors on request
2
nd
Action Level 90 dB(A) L
EP,d

- reduction of exposure
required
- ear protectors to be
provided
- ear protection zones
required
Peak Action Level 140 dB(A) L
EP,d

- as 2
nd
Action Level

Appendix 1: contd


Dust

Noise

Health
Surveillance

For new employees where a medical
assessment is considered appropriate
medical may include a respiratory
questionnaire, lung function test and
possibly x-ray if exposure to silica is
likely.
Where operatives are exposed to levels
of respirable crystalline silica greater than
0.1 mg/m3, the Guidance in EH59 (latest
revision) should be followed.

For new employees where a medical
assessment is considered appropriate
audiometer should be carried out.
It is good practice to carry out regular
hearing checks on all employees whose
daily personal noise exposures equal or
exceed 90 dB(A); many employers
already do this. 90 dB(A) is the same as
the second action level in NaW Regs
the level at which protection must be
worn. The risk of hearing damage rises
significantly at exposures above this
level. Therefore, even when hearing
protection is used, hearing checks
(audiometry) should normally be provided
when noise levels reach or exceed 95
dB(A), except where that exposure is
likely to be only temporary, for example
for a few weeks in a year.

Appendix 1: contd
Dust

Noise



Precautions

Avoid generation of dust in the
first instance. Avoid exposure to
dust. Maintain seals/filters etc for
control rooms, vehicle cabs and
other dust refuges.
Where exposure cannot be
adequately control by other
means appropriate respiratory
protective equipment should be
used.

Purchase less noisy equipment
and keep it maintained.
Reduce exposure below peak
and second action level.
Provide quiet refuges.
Educate the workforce.
Only approved PPE giving
adequate attenuation should be
used.
All PPE must be properly
maintained.