As big as the house building effort is that’s currently underway, there’s an equal focus on improving the buildings that are already there. Residential and commercial buildings are all undergoing rapid transformation to meet new environmental standards, to hit our net zero targets. One of the most significant areas of change is refurbishing buildings to improve energy efficiency and sustainability and building this capacity into new housing stock.
As with any rapid construction effort, however, these green initiatives bring their own health and safety risks that need to be carefully managed. While striving for a greener future, it’s vital that we all work to ensure health and safety standards are not compromised—and spread the message that a safer future doesn’t mean a more dangerous present.
Renovations and asbestos
We’ve harped on about it plenty in the past, but it bears repeating: any buildings in the UK, particularly those constructed before 2000, have a chance of containing asbestos. This is supposed to be strictly monitored in commercial and public buildings, but this isn’t always the case, and there is no such requirement for residential ones.
As a result, retrofitting properties with insulation, upgrading heating systems, or improving ventilation to meet energy efficiency goals can inadvertently disturb asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Suffice it to say that asbestos exposure is a serious health hazard, being linked to incurable and devastating diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Thankfully, this risk can be managed. The first port of call is to conduct thorough surveys and assessments before any refurbishment, including an asbestos survey to identify potential ACMs. If asbestos is present, only licensed professionals should be involved in its removal, with workers wearing appropriate PPE, including respiratory protective equipment (RPE), to prevent the inhalation of asbestos fibres.
Strict control measures should also be put in place, ensuring that no asbestos is allowed to leave the work site. All asbestos removal areas should be sealed off, with appropriate extraction and cleaning equipment to remove all traces of the substance, and appropriate disposal procedures to minimise exposure and dispose of the substance safely.
Solar panel and wind turbine installation
As the UK increases its reliance on renewable energy, more properties are being fitted with solar panels, and wind turbines are being constructed at scale. Both tasks involve working at height, which is far and away the biggest cause of fatal injuries in UK workplaces, and a major contributor to non-fatal ones. Falls from height accounted for the most deaths in UK workplaces last year, with double the fatalities of the next leading cause.
The relatively simple process of fitting solar panels can convince people that it’s not worth the faff of doing a thorough risk assessment or using safety measures such as harnesses or scaffolding. Yet it only takes one small mistake—one slip—to lead to a potentially fatal injury. This also doesn’t account for the possibility of an unstable work surface, or other factors that can easily contribute to a fall.
Before work begins, a thorough risk assessment should be conducted to identify hazards and implement controls. Fall protection systems should be used where needed, and workers should receive adequate training in working at height, and the proper use of safety equipment, such as the Level 1 Health & Safety in a Construction Environment course. Equipment such as ladders, scaffolding, and lifting devices should also be inspected regularly to ensure they’re in safe working condition and won’t cause issues themselves.
General construction risks
An increased volume of work also means an increased likelihood for general construction hazards, some of which are already underappreciated. The use of vibrating tools, exposure to dust, and the movement of heavy vehicles can all pose significant health risks, and shouldn’t be allowed to slip out of focus as net zero work ramps up:
Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)
HAVS is caused by prolonged use of hand-held vibrating tools such as drills, grinders, and pneumatic drills. The persistent vibrations are so intense that they can lead to permanent damage to the nerves and blood vessels in your hands and fingers. The resulting pain, numbness, and reduced dexterity can prevent you from working, and seriously impact your mental and physical wellbeing.
Low-vibration tools should be used wherever possible, but this isn’t always practical. Instead, employers need to limit exposure time by implementing some form of rotation, ensuring that nobody is using vibrating tools for too long in any given week. Anti-vibration gloves can also help to reduce the impact, while regular health checks can help to detect HAVS symptoms early and prevent long-term damage.
Dust exposure
Many retrofitting and construction activities generate dust, including silica dust from cutting concrete, wood dust from carpentry, and fibres from insulation. Prolonged exposure can lead to respiratory diseases such as silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma, many of which have no cure, and some of which can lead to lung cancer.
Working outside is not enough, and dust extraction systems are a must regardless of location. Wet cutting techniques can also help to reduce airborne dust where possible, and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) must be provided and worn to prevent any exposure. Workers also need to be trained not just how to use it, but why they need to, learning about both the serious dangers of dust exposure and the proper control measures against it.
Vehicle collisions
Vehicle collisions were the second biggest cause of fatal injuries in workplaces last year and are one of the biggest dangers on construction sites. Multiple heavy vehicles can often be found moving around a busy site at one time, including lorries, excavators, and forklifts. Poor visibility, lack of traffic management, and human error can all result in serious accidents, with a short loss of focus or concentration being enough to cause a fatal injury.
Vehicle safety starts with a clear traffic management plan for every worksite, managing the vehicles that come and go, and where they are allowed to be. Designated pedestrian walkways should be provided and clearly marked, and all vehicle operators allowed on site should be vetted to ensure they are trained and competent.
Sightlines are extremely important, and need to be considered when organising the worksite, but there’s often only so much you can change. To minimise the risks of blind spots, employees should wear high-visibility clothing, while warning signs should be clearly displayed to increase awareness. Reversing alarms and cameras on vehicles can also help to keep drivers more aware of their surroundings and provide a clear warning to others.
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The floods and wildfires we’ve already seen this year highlight the value of working to insulate buildings and reduce emissions, but it isn’t a zero-sum game. It’s possible to achieve the scale of construction and renovation we need without putting people at risk—and repeating the same mistakes we’ve already made too many times when it comes to asbestos exposure, working at height, and other site safety risks.
There needs to be a renewed recognition that working safely isn’t a burden on individuals or businesses, but an investment in personal wellbeing, and in the reputation and continuity of businesses. By integrating health and safety considerations into sustainability initiatives, the UK can build a greener future without compromising the well-being of the people making it happen.