Chapter 11 Controlling exposure to chemical hazards

Chemicals and hazardous substances are found throughout construction and demolition sites. Some are provided to allow the work activity to take place, while others are generated in the process of conducting the activity. Other substances are contained within the building materials and are released when they are worked on. The control of chemical and hazardous substances begins at the earliest stages of the design process and continues during the pre-construction phase. On site, project managers ensure that the health effects of exposure to chemicals and the necessary controls are communicated and appropriate, and that well maintained equipment is provided to workers.

This chapter covers the health effects of exposure to a number of different types of hazardous substances commonly found on construction sites, how they enter the body and which organs are likely to be affected. It covers a range of controls from engineering, to safe working methods and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and towards the end summarises some of the key legislation and forthcoming changes that apply to chemical safety. It cannot cover the full range of chemicals and hazardous substances that will be found on construction sites – these number in their thousands – but it does provide guidance on identifying and seeking relevant information on them.