Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee
Conclusion 4
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management
Published 21 Apr 2022
Paragraph 30
Addressed to Department for Work and Pensions
Work and Pensions Committee Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Recent HSE data on the relative risk of mesothelioma deaths shows elevated rates for women whose last occupation was education and teaching. However, limitations in death certificate information means that the earlier occupational history of these people—which may be key to understanding the cause of their disease—is not known. Moreover, the long latency period before asbestos-related illness develops means that HSE data on relative occupational risk tells us little about asbestos exposures in work settings today. We know relatively little about current levels but, worryingly, we heard accounts from several sources of recent exposures in the workplace and in the home. Our view is that HSE’s efforts to develop the evidence on current asbestos exposure levels in non-domestic buildings are relatively piecemeal. A more structured approach to collecting data and assessing current exposure levels is needed.
From: Work and Pensions Committee, Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management (HC 560), paragraph 30, 21 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 July 2022 (deadline 21 June 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response agrees with some recommendations in part, with HSE committing to targeted work in 2022/23, while the government declines a fixed removal deadline for asbestos and does not recommend changing the collection of occupational information on death certificates.
- On a central register of asbestos, HSE's evidence was that it would duplicate existing duty holder information "with no clear indicator that asbestos exposure risks would be improved". Instead, HSE "will develop targeted communications activity" on managing risks and sharing information.
- On a removal deadline, the government "remains concerned" that a fixed deadline "would increase the opportunity for exposure". It says it could only advocate proactive action if there is "compelling evidence", and that "At present this evidence is not there".
- On exposure limits, HSE says the science behind a lower limit "is not certain at this stage". It "will continue to monitor international developments", including "any change to the exposure limit in GB".
- HSE says it will carry out targeted inspections of GB workplaces during 2022/23 to check compliance with duties to inform those at risk of asbestos locations, including 'duty to manage' inspections in schools.