AGL 2024 - ToolBox Talks - Health on Site

Health on Site

Overview This talk will cover: types of health issues affecting construction workers and the preventative measures

How’s your health?

1 Contact with some hazardous substances can result in a severe form of dermatitis which could result in sufferers having to give up their trade.
2 If you have asked the presenter of this talk to speak up, you may be suffering from work-induced hearing loss.
3 How’s your suntan? The short-term effects are sunburn and blisters. There are 40,000 new cases of skin cancer each year resulting from too much sun.
4 What about your weight? Try to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
5 All dust is hazardous to health, some types more so than others. Take particular care with silica and hardwood dusts, which can cause long-term health problems including cancer.
6 Fumes from solvents and paints can cause headaches and make you feel sick, breathless or light-headed. Your concentration and safety will be affected.
7 Breathing in welding fumes can bring on an illness with flu-like symptoms.
8 Do your working hours or working conditions leave you feeling stressed? Effects such as anxiety, poor decision making and loss of concentration will adversely affect your safety and maybe that of others.


What are you going to do about it?

1 Hazardous substances must be assessed before they are first put to use – use the appropriate control measures including wearing of PPE.
2 ‘Hand inspections’ are becoming a common event with the ‘at risk’ trades.
3 If working in a noisy environment wear hearing protection.
4 Resist the temptation to get a suntan – keep your shirt on.
5 Site canteens don’t always offer the most healthy food – is eating somewhere else or bringing in your own food a practical and healthier alternative?
6 Be prepared to wear face masks or respirators when the level of dust or fumes in the air become a hazard – your employer should assess the situation.
7 Workplace stress is a growing problem. It is not easy to admit to, but you must address the issue with your employer. If you are stressed, you are not safe.

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Toolbox talk attendees -

Please report to your supervisor to discuss your concerns.