Page 58 - Australasian Paint & Panel Jan-Feb 2020

SANDING AND DUST EXTRACTION
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PAINT&PANEL JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020
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LOOKING AFTER YOUR LUNGS AT WORK
DO YOU THINK MASKS JUST MAKE YOU HOT AND SWEATY AND AREN’T WORTH PUTTING ON IF YOU ARE SANDING? YOU’RE WRONG. LUNG FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA SUGGESTS WAYS TO PROTECT THE WORKSHOP TEAM’S HEALTH.
HE DAMAGE YOU DO TO
your lungs today cannot be reversed tomorrow. Just like wearing protective eyewear or steel-cap boots at work, there are steps you can take to protect your
lungs at work.
Everyone has a right to be safe at work
and looking after your lungs is no excep- tion. Most of us never stop to think about our breathing, it’s just something we do. Every part of your body needs oxygen from the air you breathe in order to sur- vive. It is important to be aware that your lungs can become easily damaged by pollutants such as dust, gas or fumes. The finer the particles are, the easier and deeper they can be inhaled into the lungs, causing more damage. Even though the effects may not be immedi- ately felt, the long-term impact can be se- rious. Many people are exposed to these harmful substances in the workplace. Without proper protection in place, regu- larly breathing in irritants can lead to or worsen lung conditions including asth- ma, chronic obstructive pulmonary dis- ease (COPD), lung cancer and silicosis. These lung diseases and cancers are of- ten preventable and, if diagnosed early, are treatable, but often there are few symptoms, or they go unnoticed.
There are some common symptoms of lung disease to look out for, howev- er everyone may experience these dif- ferently. Symptoms may include:
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or tightness.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, are concerned about your lung health or work in an at-risk envi- ronment, we encourage you to speak with your doctor and regularly moni- tor your lung health.
Your employer has a responsibility to protect you and your mates from expo- sure to dust, gas and fumes. It’s impor- tant to talk with your employer on a reg- ular basis about safety at work. You can all work together to identify where dust, gases and fumes occur, what you can do to reduce exposure and how you can en- sure Workplace Health and Safety stand- ards are met. This may include redesign of equipment and processes and provid- ing protective respiratory equipment.