# How do I know if I am creating a health risk for my workers?

**URL:** <https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-creating-a-health-risk-for-my-workers/1188>\
**Category:** General Construction\
**Created:** [13 January 2013 08:10 UTC](https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-creating-a-health-risk-for-my-workers/1188 "2013-01-13T08:10:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HSE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@HSE](https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/u/HSE)\
**Post date:** [13 January 2013 08:10 UTC](https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-creating-a-health-risk-for-my-workers/1188/1 "2013-01-13T08:10:46Z")

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**Author:** ![HSE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@HSE](https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/u/HSE)\
**Post date:** [25 January 2013 11:12 UTC](https://reachback.builtintelligence.com/t/how-do-i-know-if-i-am-creating-a-health-risk-for-my-workers/1188/2 "2013-01-25T11:12:02Z")

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The way you deal with health risks should be exactly the same as your approach to dealing with safety matters. The biggest health risks in construction, based on ill health statistics are; respiratory risks (asbestos, dusts, hazardous chemicals that can be inhaled), skin exposures (cement, chemicals, sunlight), noise, hand arm vibration and physical strain leading to musculoskeletal disorders. A good start is to consider whether any of these risks are present in your work. Observe your workers and how they do the work and apply the hierarchy of controls. In a nutshell, take the same approach to preventing ill health as you would to preventing accidents.

```
	[Leadership and Worker Involvement toolkit](http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/lwit/assets/downloads/hierarchy-risk-controls.pdf)

	[Managing occupational health risks in construction](http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/)
```