20 January 2006 - HSC Asbestos Consultation Coming to an End

20 January 2006 - HSC Asbestos Consultation Coming to an End:

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) consultation inviting businesses and the public views on possible amendment to the legislation on asbestos is due to come to an end on Tuesday 31 January 2006.

The draft consultation proposes changes to the European Asbestos Worker Protection Directive (AWPD) and existing asbestos regulatory framework currently controlling exposure to asbestos such as the following:

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The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (CAW), which govern the way all work with asbestos is done, to ensure it is done safely.
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The Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 (ASLIC), as amended, which require work with all the more hazardous asbestos-containing materials to be done by a contractor licensed by HSE.
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The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 (Prohibitions Regulations), as amended, which ban the importation, supply and use of raw asbestos and asbestos containing materials.

Some of the draft package consultation proposals are as follows:

* To tighten statutory protections for those working with asbestos, by introducing a single, lower control limit for worker exposure to all types of asbestos.
* Requiring specified training for all employees who are liable to be exposed to asbestos.
* Takes into account new research, showing the risk from asbestos-containing textured decorative coatings comparable to the risks from work with asbestos cement, something that already does not require a licence is also taken into account. The proposals are, that work with such textured coatings will no longer require a licence. However, work with more deadly forms of asbestos materials will still require a license.

The proposals repeal and replace CAW, ASLIC and the Prohibitions Regulations.

Further information on the proposals and response here