This week, Colin was privileged to be asked to give a keynote address at the East Midlands Health and Safety Forum event on the subject of dust, most notably respirable crystalline silica, which has been associated with elevated rates of lung cancer, and the measures being used to combat the effects of dust in the quarry industry.

Now you can hear Colin’s fascinating keynote address for yourself, as this week’s episode is a direct recording of that very keynote event.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Dust is the second biggest killer in the construction industry. Typically the worst problem areas are sand and concrete, wood dust, gypsum and plasterboard.
• Larger dust is known as “Inhalable”, and can generally be seen by the naked eye. Smaller dust is known as “Respirable”.
• Your body has a great number of natural defence mechanisms. Saliva prevents dust from being inhaled. If your mouth is dry on a dusty site, then this is your body doing its job.
• Silica is all around us and in the majority of cases doesn't cause any problems. It quickly loses its toxicity, but if inhaled before that point can lead to lung disease.
• The best ways to combat harmful dust inhalation are:
  • Enclose it
  • Extract it
  • Suppress it

 

• In 2003, when the England Rugby team went to Australia to participate in the Rugby World Cup, they took their own pillows with them. This was to ensure that the team got a good night’s sleep, and so felt that tiny bit more prepared for their opponents. With dust, it’s all about incremental, small preparations that lead to the bigger victories.

BEST MOMENTS

’Dust is defined by its size’

’That is your body telling you that you’ve been exposed to something’

‘When I run I breathe 440 million times a year!’

‘Most of the dust in this room is dead skin - so that’s nice isn’t it…'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Interesting Health And Safety Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/training-competency-creating-effective-plan-process/id1467771449?i=1000452692837 

ABOUT THE HOST

Colin Nottage

‘Making health and safety as important as everything else we do.’

This is the belief that Colin is passionate about and through his consultancy Influential Management Group (IMG) is able to spread into industry. Colin works at a strategic level with company owners and board members. He helps business leaders establish and achieve their health and safety ambitions.

He has developed a number of leading competency improvement programmes that are delivered across industry and his strengths are his ability to take a practical approach to problem-solving and being able to liaise at all levels within an organisation.

Colin also runs a company that vets contractors online and a network that develops and support H&S consultancies to become better businesses.

Colin chairs the Construction Dust Partnership, an industry collaboration directly involving many organisations, including the Health and Safety Executive.

He is a Post Graduate Tutor at Strathclyde University and a highly sought-after health and safety speaker and trainer. He has a Post Graduate Certificate in Safety and Risk management, an engineering degree and is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).