Health and Safety Executive Inspections Focus on Fabricated Metal Businesses

FABRICATED METAL BUSINESSES across Great Britain are being inspected by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to check that they are managing the respiratory risks of welding fumes and metalworking fluids.

From this week, starting 4 May, health and safety inspectors will be targeting businesses whose workers do welding and use metalworking fluids. They will check workers are complying with the welding fumes guidance and metalworking fluid guidance. During the visits, dutyholders will need to show they have measures in place to manage risks. These should protect their workers from occupational lung disease and ‘WorkRight’ to keep workers healthy and safe.

Work Related Lung Disease

Last year in the UK, 12,000 people died from lung diseases thought to be linked to past exposure at work in a range of sectors.

There is scientific evidence that exposure to welding fumes can cause lung cancer. Exposure to metalworking fluids can cause a range of lung diseases, including asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (OHP), which are debilitating diseases with life changing effects.

Know the Risks

Inspectors will be looking for evidence of employers and workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls to protect workers’ health. If necessary, they will use enforcement to make sure workers are protected, HSE warns.

While the focus is on lung health during this programme of inspections, if an inspector sees other areas of concern, they will take enforcement action. This will include making sure businesses are COVID-secure and doing all they can to protect workers from coronavirus.

HSE’s Acting Head of Manufacturing and Utilities Unit, Clare Owen, said: “Our inspection initiative aims to ensure employers and workers are aware of the risks associated with the activities they do. They must recognise these dangers and manage these risks through reducing exposure.”

Dutyholders are advised to:

• Complete a risk assessment
• Ensure workers are trained
• Reduce exposure using local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
• Use suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

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