Manufacturing
Manufacturing processes can generate airborne contaminants that may affect workers' health. These contaminants can include dusts, fumes, mists, gases and vapours produced during processing, fabrication, assembly, finishing and maintenance activities.
Airborne contaminants may be visible, but many cannot be seen or smelled. PCBUs must identify airborne contaminants and manage the associated risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Many airborne contaminants generated during manufacturing activities may have an applicable workplace exposure limit (WEL) that should be considered when assessing worker exposure and control effectiveness.
Common sources of airborne contaminants include:
- flour and grain dust generated during food and beverage production
- wood dust from cutting, sanding and finishing timber products
- textile, leather and other organic dusts generated during manufacturing processes
- welding fumes from metal fabrication and repair work
- metal dusts and fumes generated during machining, grinding and casting
- chemical vapours from plastics, rubber, composite and chemical manufacturing
- solvent vapours from cleaning, coating, painting and surface preparation activities.
Exposure to airborne contaminants can lead to serious health effects, including occupational asthma, chronic respiratory disease, occupational lung disease and cancer. For some contaminants, WELs have been established to help assess and manage worker exposure.
What can you do?
Regularly inspect work areas and observe how tasks are performed. Consider:
- manufacturing processes and work practices
- machinery, plant and equipment
- hazardous chemicals and materials used or generated
- local exhaust ventilation and other engineering controls
- housekeeping and maintenance practices.
- whether substances used or generated during manufacturing activities have an applicable WEL
- whether existing controls are adequate to minimise exposure to airborne contaminants with established WELs.
Indicators of airborne contaminants may include:
- visible dust, fumes, mist or haze
- residue or contamination on surfaces, machinery or floors
- damaged or ineffective extraction systems
- worker complaints about odours, dust or air quality
- air monitoring results indicating elevated exposures or exposures approaching or exceeding a WEL.
Consult workers
Consult workers and health and safety representatives (HSRs) about tasks that generate dusts, fumes, gases, mists or vapours. Workers may also identify symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, eye irritation or breathing difficulties associated with particular tasks. Worker feedback may also help identify tasks, areas or processes where exposure monitoring should be considered.
Airborne contaminants may affect:
- workers
- contractors
- labour hire workers
- maintenance personnel
- cleaners
- office workers and other people working nearby.
PCBUs must consider all persons who may be exposed to airborne contaminants at the workplace.
Seek specialist advice
Consider engaging a certified occupational hygienist where airborne contaminants are difficult to identify or assess, or where air monitoring may be required to determine exposure. Air monitoring may assist in assessing exposure in relation to applicable WELs and determining whether control measures are effective.
Review and reassess
Review airborne contaminant risks whenever:
- new materials or chemicals are introduced
- manufacturing processes change
- plant or equipment is replaced or modified
- production volumes increase
- monitoring or health surveillance indicates that controls may not be effective
- a WEL is introduced, revised or reduced for a substance used or generated in the workplace
- air monitoring results indicate worker exposure may approach or exceed a WEL.
Where airborne contaminants are identified, implement controls in accordance with the hierarchy of controls and review their effectiveness regularly. Compliance with a WEL should not replace the need to eliminate risks or minimise them so far as is reasonably practicable through the application of the hierarchy of controls.
Resources
Safe Work Australia resources: