Health and Safety Executive
An inspector observed dust pluming above the hoardings as they approached a memorial site in Scotland undergoing improvements to external masonry. When they looked through the hoarding peep hole, this stonemason operating an angle grinder to dress 1 of 18 large stones. Whilst he was wearing the correct FFP3 mask, the operative was not clean shaven or face-fit tested. There was no on-tool extraction or water suppression on site and dry sweeping was being carried out. Upon inspection, the inside of his mask was dirty and dusty and his clothes were covered in the silica dust his work was generating. Considering each stone takes approximately a day to dress; he was exposing himself and others nearby to risk of lung cancer and other serious respiratory diseases. This resulted in strong enforcement action against the duty holder to ensure standards were improved. Learn how to stay safe: https://lnkd.in/dSSsDu-z