Health and safety are not subjects that can be taken lightly. Lime mortar pointing has very particular risks, which will be discussed below. Generally speaking, generic risk assessments should be produced for repointing works. Generic risk assessments cover frequently encountered, everyday risks. Dynamic risk assessment should be conducted at all times to account for a changing environment/situation as work progresses. When developing a risk assessment, it is usual practice to describe the hazard (the thing that has the potential to cause harm) followed by the associated risk (the harm that would come to pass). For instance, a pan of boiling water is a hazard, and burning is the risk. In all cases, the likelihood of the risk occurring should be weighed against the severity of the outcome. This is generally carried out using a risk matrix. When risks are determined to be anything more than ‘low risk’, then mitigating factors should be applied following the hierarchy of control; the key points of this being that elimination should be the first choice, and PPE should be the last option as a control measure. This text isn't going to delve into risk assessments any more deeply than to say, after ascertaining a risk factor for a given risk, the control measures should be applied and the risk assessment process carried out again to demonstrate a reduced risk rating. If it is not possible to reduce the risk rating to a low level, consideration should be given as to whether the benefit of the activity outweighs the risk.

 

Below, quicklime and vibrating tools will be discussed as they are the key risks involved in lime repointing works.

Quicklime: Quicklime is a unique hazard, and the handling process opens the operator up to both chemical burns and thermal burns. Quicklime is a very strong alkali. Its ability to burn skin is often overemphasised; it is absolutely caustic, and limited handling of lime-based materials with bare hands can still result in the drying and flaking of the skin. Gloves should be worn when handling the material. User error can result in more significant burns, for example, if an operator were to kneel in lime mortar droppings for a period of time without noticing, the lime would absolutely burn through the surface layers of skin. One of the most unpleasant experiences of lime is to get it in the eyes. It's one thing to get calcium hydroxide in the eye, and it's another, even more serious issue to get calcium oxide in the eye, as the calcium oxide will react with the eye's moisture and continue to slake. In either case, it is absolutely essential to irrigate the eye and seek medical attention. Eye protection must be worn when hot-mixing quicklime mortar.

 

SDS drills (slotted drive shaft drills): Anything that vibrates has the potential to cause the operator hand and arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Vibrations that run through the hands can cause damage to the small capillaries, resulting in issues with blood flow to the extremities of the fingers. Each vibrating tool has a HAVS rating that can be researched and this enables the user to establish the tool's maximum daily exposure. Sole traders and DIY enthusiasts need to be particularly careful as the work cannot be shared among other operators. Careful planning of each day is required to minimise the exposure to vibration. It should also be remembered that plaster mixers used to hot-mix also qualify as a vibrating tool, just a less severe one. Some SDS drills feature anti-vibration technology which is strongly recommended. Every operator should carefully assess their exposure to vibrating tools and establish daily exposure limits as part of a generic risk assessment. Signs of HAVS include white finger (or blueing of fingertips) caused by reduced blood flow. HAVS is a permanent injury. The risk of HAVS should not be ignored.