TUC calls for lower dust limit levels
Health & Safety update 05/09/2011
National trade union centre the TUC has called for action to be
taken to lower the limits governing workplace dust levels.
New guidance published by the union has revealed that stronger
action is needed to reduce dust levels, alongside improved
standards for the assessment of dust exposure.
Both the TUC and independent body the Institute of Medicine
(IoM), have agreed that there is scientific evidence highlighting
the need for lower inhalable and respirable dust levels.
Many cancers and lung diseases have been found to have been
caused by exposure to dusts such as coal dust, silica, talc and
kaolin - even at levels lower than the current legal limits.
Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said, “Because disease
and death caused by the various types of dust can take many years
to develop, both employers and regulators take them far less
seriously than deaths caused by injury, yet they are just as tragic
for both the workers and their families."
“Each and every one of these thousands of deaths caused by dusts
is avoidable. Given the scale of the problem we need an urgent
examination of both the current standards and their enforcement,”
added Mr Barber.
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