New health and safety resource from Quarries Partnership Team
Animated film entitled ‘Stop dust before it stops you’ highlights the health risks to quarry workers
THE Quarries Partnership Team has produced a new animated film to highlight health risks to quarry workers. The short film shows workers how they can protect themselves from exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) – very fine dust particles of silica found in certain rocks, sands clays and other minerals.
The messages in the film – which mixes animation with real-life footage to show quarry workers how to work safely when undertaking common tasks – are also relevant to those performing construction and demolition activities.
The film has been produced by members of the Quarries Partnership Team (QPT), which is made up of a range of organizations including quarry operators, the TUC, trade associations, training bodies and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The film, called ‘Stop dust before it stops you’, tells the story of animated character George, who ignores both advice and equipment and dangerously exposes himself to hazardous workplace dust.
George drives mobile plant with windows open and without using air-conditioning, and he sweeps up spillages in a way that spreads dust around. Real-life video footage interspersed in the film guides workers on how they can take simple steps to perform tasks safely.
Colin Mew, Principal Inspector of Quarries at the HSE, said: ‘RCS poses a danger to workers when they don’t properly control dust. Exposure to it over a long period can cause silicosis, leading to fibrosis (hardening or scarring) of the lung tissue with a consequent loss of lung function.
‘The messages in the film are straightforward and promote a common-sense approach to controlling exposure that can ultimately help prevent a quarry worker – and their family – from suffering the effects of ill health in later life.
‘With a touch of humour, the film will engage quarry workers and encourage them to think about the way they work. Those with responsibility for health and safety in a quarry will be able to use this resource as a training tool, to support them when providing on-site training for quarry operatives, maintenance workers and contractors.’
The free-to-access resource is available in the ‘Video Library’ on the safequarry.com website.
