Chapter 14 Controlling exposure to biological hazards

Biological hazards occur in many sectors of employment and occupations. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and approved code of practice have the following general definition of a biohazard:

The construction industry is potentially hazardous. Equally hazardous is the management of ‘biofacilities’. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), some 6.5 million people work in the construction industry. The rate of fatal injuries occurring in construction activities is higher than the national average for all industries put together (Pattron, 2005). In Britain, about 2.2 million people work in the construction industry, making it the country’s biggest industry. It has been identified as one of the most dangerous, with over 2800 deaths recorded in the last 25 years. In the city of London, over 300 cases are reported annually of workplace accidents, diseases or dangerous episodes. Legionnaire’s disease occurrence is about 250 live cases at any given time. Some 500 enquiries are received on health and safety matters (City of London, 2009). Limited time, cheap labour, rush for rapid infrastructural development and corrupt practices often lead to compromising health and safety at the expense of workers. As a result, there is a progressive increase in the incidence and prevalence of construction injuries worldwide.