Construction Industry
Chemical first aid for construction, civil engineering and cement workers
Construction is one of the UK's largest employment sectors and one where chemical burns are far more common than most people realise. The production of construction materials involves many of the same chemical processes as the broader chemical industry — polymers, solvents, resins and adhesives all feature in manufacturing environments. But it is on the construction site itself, in the hands of workers who may have limited chemical safety training, where the most serious and most preventable chemical burns occur.
Cement is the single most significant chemical hazard in the construction industry. The highest number of chemical injuries treated within the UK NHS are cement burns — and cement burns are frequently underestimated at the point of injury, with consequences that only become apparent hours later.
Cement is highly alkaline, typically with a pH above 12. When it contacts damp skin — whether wet cement, cement slurry, or dry cement dust on sweaty skin — it causes a chemical burn through liquefaction necrosis. Unlike acid burns, which tend to cause surface coagulation that limits further spread, alkali burns destroy the tissue structure and allow the chemical to diffuse progressively deeper into the skin. The result is a burn that can look superficial initially but cause deep, serious injury by the time it is properly assessed. Workers who kneel in wet cement, or who have cement trapped against skin by boots, gloves or clothing, are at particular risk — the prolonged contact time combined with the alkaline chemistry causes burns that often require hospital treatment and extended time off work.
Dry cement dust also causes burns when it comes into contact with damp or perspiring skin. The risk is easily overlooked precisely because it does not feel like a chemical exposure in the way a liquid splash does.
Beyond cement, the construction sector uses a wide range of corrosive and irritant substances. Brick cleaning involves hydrochloric acid. Surface treatments use caustic solutions and strong solvents. Adhesives and resins contain reactive organic compounds. Effluent and drainage work involves exposure to a variety of chemical and biological hazards.
Diphoterine® is highly effective on alkali burns — making it the ideal first aid response to cement injuries specifically, as well as to the full range of acidic and alkaline chemicals used across construction. Because it works through active chelating action rather than simple dilution, it addresses the deep diffusion process that makes cement burns so serious. The portable format is particularly relevant for construction sites, where working locations change constantly and a fixed emergency shower installation is rarely practical.
Chemicals of note in this industry:
Cement (Calcium Hydroxide / Alkali pH 12+), Hydrochloric Acid (brick cleaning), Sodium Hydroxide, Solvents, Resins and Adhesives, Epoxy compounds.
COSHH and compliance
COSHH risk assessments on construction sites must address the specific chemical hazards at each stage of work, including the cement burn risk that is often absent from site first aid planning. For mobile working environments where fixed provision cannot be installed, portable Diphoterine® provision directly supports a compliant and practical emergency response. Diphoterine® systems conform with EN15154 Parts 3 and 4 — the European Standards for Emergency Eye and Skin Decontamination Equipment.
Contact DipHex on 01622 851000 or at enquiries@diphex.com to discuss chemical first aid provision for your construction operations.