Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 21
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management
Published 21 Apr 2022
Paragraph 111
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 ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Currently in Great Britain, some asbestos removal work does not need to be undertaken by a licensed contractor but some of this will still need to be notified to HSE before work starts. The three-way categorisation of work is confusing and of questionable value. Reducing the number of categories and requiring a greater proportion of asbestos removal to be done by licensed contractors—possibly by The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management 51 further tightening the control limit on expected asbestos fibre exposures or reducing the types and conditions of asbestos materials that are exempted from licensed work—could lead to fewer accidental exposures and better disposal practices. There is, however, a risk that extending the requirement to use licensed contractors could have unintended consequences and any changes will need to be considered carefully. HSE should use its five-yearly review of the asbestos regulations to assess the merits of the current categorisation of asbestos works.
From: Work and Pensions Committee, Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management (HC 560), paragraph 111, 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.