Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors are visiting businesses across Great Britain in woodworking industries, focusing on the dangers of respiratory risks from wood dust.
Supported by the HSE’s Dust Kills campaign, which provides free advice to businesses and workers on the control measures required to prevent exposure to dust, inspectors will be visiting businesses within woodworking industries such as sawmilling, manufacture of composite boards, and carpentry.
Woodworking industries have the potential for high incidence rates of occupational ill-health caused by worker exposure to inadequately controlled wood dust in the workplace, such as sino-nasal cancer, occupational asthma and dermatitis.
The inspections are to ensure dutyholders know the established health risks associated with woodworking and have effective controls in place to keep workers safe and protect their respiratory health.
In 2022/23, the HSE carried out more than 1,000 woodworking inspections and found 78% of businesses were not compliant in protecting workers from respiratory sensitisers. This resulted in 402 enforcement actions being taken.
The inspections identified four primary areas of concern, where businesses failed to adequately implement the control measures required to protect workers. These were:
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