Health Hazards in Construction
Not all construction dangers cause immediate injury; many harm health slowly through exposure to dust, chemicals, and noise. This module covers common health hazards and how the Hazard Communication Standard helps workers understand the chemicals around them.
Silica, Asbestos, and Lead
Cutting, grinding, or drilling concrete, brick, and stone releases respirable crystalline silica, a fine dust that can cause silicosis, lung cancer, and other serious diseases. Older buildings may contain asbestos, whose fibers cause lung disease and cancer when disturbed and inhaled, and lead-based paint, whose dust can damage the nervous system and other organs. Controls include wet cutting methods, vacuum dust collection, respirators, and specialized, often certified, work practices before disturbing these materials. Because the effects can take years to appear, workers must protect themselves even when they feel fine.
Hazard Communication and GHS
The Hazard Communication Standard, aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), gives workers the right to know about the chemicals they work with. Every workplace with hazardous chemicals must have a written hazard communication program, labeled containers, and accessible Safety Data Sheets. Workers must be trained to recognize hazards and understand the labels and sheets. This 'right to know' is a core part of OSHA's protection against chemical exposure.
Reading Labels and Safety Data Sheets
GHS labels use standardized elements so hazards can be recognized quickly: a signal word (Danger or Warning), pictograms inside red diamonds, hazard statements, and precautionary statements. A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provides 16 standardized sections covering a chemical's hazards, safe handling, storage, required PPE, and first-aid and emergency measures. Employers must keep SDSs readily accessible to workers on every shift. Knowing how to read a label and find the matching SDS lets a worker respond correctly to a spill, splash, or exposure.
Noise and Chemical Exposure
Construction noise from tools and equipment can cause permanent, painless hearing loss over time, so hearing protection is used when levels are high. Chemical exposure can happen by breathing vapors and dusts, by skin contact, or by swallowing contaminated food or drink. Controls follow the hierarchy: substitution and ventilation first, then work practices, then PPE such as respirators and gloves. Good hygiene, such as washing before eating and not carrying contaminated clothing home, further reduces exposure to family members.