Promoting the Use of Low-dust Machinery and Equipment in the Construction Industry

1. 3rd International Conference on Working on Safety Session 32 – Good Practices Promoting the Use of Low-dust Machinery and Equipment in the Construction Industry Norbert Kluger Frankfurt am Main - Germany

2. High exposure to dust in constructionindustry • Demolition work • Alterations • Chiselling, grinding, milling • Plaster work • Stripping old plaster • Compaction work • Mixing dry mortar • Recycling plants for building materials • Jet blasting • Cleaning work Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

3. Angle grinder without dust extraction / wet sawing • equipment without vacuum cleaner • existing technical measuresinsufficient Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

4. Legal requirements (Germany 2006) • Threshold limits: • Respirable dust fraction (E-dust) 10 mg/m³ • Alveolar dust fraction (A-dust) 3 mg/m³ • Alveolar silica dust 0.15 mg/m³ Since July 2005 alveolar silica dust has been classified in Germany as carcinogenic. Therefore the threshold limit was set out. Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

5. What is the situation on construction sites ? Some exposure data: Dry cutting Wet cutting Respirable dust 169.00 mg/m³ 54.97 mg/m³ A – dust 29.80 mg/m³ 6.37 mg/m³ Silica dust 3.89 mg/m³ 0.63 mg/m³ Cleaning work Respirable dust 23.80 mg/m³ A – dust 5.13 mg/m³ Silica dust 0.23 mg/m³ Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

6. Low-dust machines are commercially available Clean solution:Modern machinery such as hammer drills with integrated dust extraction provide good services even when working overhead. Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

7. Evaluation ? financiallysupported by Practice-orientated research project • Clarify the question: How effective are the currently available systems in dust collection ? • Approx. 100 commercially available processing systems (electric power tool and mobile vacuum cleaner) have been tested. Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

8. Testing hand-held machines and equipment • using standardised criteria that have been agreed with the manufacturers • each machine is tested 3 times • on average, one machine per day • tested on selected materials Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

9. The test design: Test of a wall chaser, leading on provided lines Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

10. Tested so far … • wall chasers • concrete grinders • plaster milling machines • diamond cutters • vibratory andeccentric grinders • rabbet rework • and prototypes Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

11. Overview of all machine categories (A-dust fraction) Concrete grinder Eccentric grinder Vibratory grinder Wall chasersr Concrete milling Roughening machines Abrasive cutter Plaster milling Threshold value All machine classesPersonal exposureMean value, logarithmic Measurements in mg/m3 Threshold limit for A-dust Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

12. Key message • Consider a certain system in the practical situation!(do not use just any exhaust system / vacuum cleaner you like) • Use only matched systems!(matched system = machine + vacuum cleaner recommended by the producer) What technically is possible, is seldom found in practice! Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

13. Full Information is available on the Internet … www.gisbau.de Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

14. … only with extraction ! The future: Change the work process Not like this … Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

15. The way: Develop a “Sector-specific solution” Sector-specific solutions are recommendations developed for implementing specific hazardous substances regulations across an industry sector Such solutions should be developed with the collaboration of employers and employees, the health and safety inspectors, the accident insurance institutions (BGs)as well as other institutions. Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

16. Our experience: Effective Sector-specific solution • Agreement between all partners in the construction industry • Guidelines for use in practice Man-made mineral fibres Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

17. Our experience: Effective Sector-specific solution • A package of measures shall fight the “cement dermatitis” effectively • The beginning of the end - initiatives would lead to a European-wide ban Cement Sector-specific solution “Low chromium content cements“ Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

18. Sector-specific solution– „Mineral dust on construction sites“ Partners: Berufsgenossenschaft der Bauwirtschaft Steinbruchs-Berufsgenossenschaft Berufsgenossenschaften der Feinmechanik und Elektrotechnik Berufsgenossenschaftliches Institut für Arbeitsschutz Zentralverband Elektrotechnik und Elektroindustrie Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau Zentralverband des Deutschen Baugewerbes Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie Industriegewerkschaft Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt Arbeitsschutzbehörden der Länder Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

19. Work schedule for the sector-specific solution • Agreement between all (social-)partners • Delivering the message: “Only use matched systems !” • Commitment to reduce dust exposure • Develop an action plan • Europe-wide compatibility • Work organisation – company image • Help in practice – guidelines Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger

20. Thank you very much for your attention! www.GISBAU.de Dipl.-Geogr. Norbert Kluger