NEPSI Report: Measures to prevent the generation and dispersal of dust particles at source need to be strengthened

As every two years, the NEPSI platform started in January to collect data on occupational protection against respirable crystalline silica (RCS) among Spanish aggregates operations, highlighting that on this occasion the number of participating operations has increased by 23% and the number of workers by 32%.

The results indicate that around 2 out of 3 aggregate workers are exposed to SCR and that the parameters measured as workers covered by SCR risk assessment, SCR exposure level measurements and SCR information remain stable at percentages of around 95%. In addition, the health surveillance protocol for silicosis has improved by 10%, reaching levels of around 90% of workers. Between 85% and 90% of farms have organisational measures in place for CRS and use appropriate personal protective equipment.

However, the lowest percentage of farms with measures to prevent the generation and dispersion of dust particles at source is only 75%, down 10% from the previous report.

This year the study coincides with the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of Directive (EU) 2017/2398 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work. The results obtained will be integrated with those of the other European countries, both in the aggregates sector and other NEPSI signatory sectors, and will be published in the NEPSI Report 2018.

Source: ANEFA