Risks of Diesel Exhaust Gas

General maritime and engineering discussion occurs on this board. Feel free to post newsbits, comments, ask questions about maritime matters and post your opinions.
Post Reply
Big Pete
Engineering Mentor
Posts: 902
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:18 pm
Currently located: Solihull, England
Contact:

Risks of Diesel Exhaust Gas

Post by Big Pete »

I recently read an article in a UK Newspaper, (the Sunday Times, by their Science Editor, Jonathan Leake.

According to the article Employers have been told that they are Legally obliged to protect their Staff from Diesel fumes and could be sued if their workers developed Cancer in later life.

The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued the warnings because Diesel fumes have been reclassified as a "Grade 1 Carcinogen" meaning that they are a "definite cause of Cancer" The re-classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, came after it was found that people exposed to Diesel fumes at work were up to 40% more likely to develop Cancer.
The IOH estimate that over 650 people a year die of Lung or Bladder Cancer as a result of being exposed to Diesel Exhaust fumes at work and about 800 new cases are recorded each year.
The article estimates that as many as 500,000 people in the UK are exposed to Diesel fumes through their work.

The HSE said Diesel Fumes status as a Carcinogen meant that they were covered by the "Control of Substances Hazardous to Health" Regulations (COSH)
Employers MUST regularly assess dangers to Staff and minimise exposure or face prosecution.


I am afraid JK, that we are all doomed....

BP. .
It is always better to ask a stupid question than to do a stupid thing.
User avatar
JK
Enduring Contributor
Posts: 3066
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:29 am
Currently located: East Coast, Canada
Contact:

Re: Risks of Diesel Exhaust Gas

Post by JK »

:shock:
That is frightening.
I do know it only takes trace amounts of exhaust fumes in the HVAC to make me start a migraine now.
User avatar
Merlyn
Fleet Engineer
Posts: 1024
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2013 7:19 am
Currently located: South Coast UK
Contact:

Re: Risks of Diesel Exhaust Gas

Post by Merlyn »

When you think of the asbestos and exhaust fumes we have been exposed to over the years it's amazing we are all still here.
However I have to say that using a five gas exhaust analyser machine a lot we sometimes nowadays struggle to get an updated smokemeter reading at all.
It has been for 3/4 years been interesting to when conducting Diesel smokemeter tests to see despite the latest £ 500 plus update that no reading at all can be attained.
The cheat?
A woodbine/ rolled tobacco smoker blowing into the sample head WILL provide a reading.
Seeing this measurement from a smoker makes me realise over the last few years how glad I am I gave it up some 20 ish years ago.
So it appears Common Rail emissions are healthier than smoking.
What a turn up for the books!
Remembering The Good Old days, when Chiefs stood watches and all Torque settings were F.T.
Post Reply