Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee
Conclusion 26
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management
Published 21 Apr 2022
Paragraph 127
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)
HSE has an important role in monitoring international developments in approaches to managing asbestos risk, assessing the balance of evidence, and commissioning its own research to understand workplace patterns of asbestos exposure and behaviour. The direction of travel in Europe is towards tighter regulation of asbestos and lower exposure limits which rely on greater use of electron microscopy techniques. These changes may have practical and financial consequences for the way asbestos is managed, including when and how it should be removed. HSE has said that developments in Europe may not necessarily be grounded in the real-world experience of asbestos exposure and a more pragmatic approach is warranted. It also told us that part of the problem in Great Britain is that asbestos is so widespread. Our concern is that an asbestos regulatory policy which prioritises only that which is immediately practical risks tolerating poorer health standards and higher costs over the longer-term.
From: Work and Pensions Committee, Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management (HC 560), paragraph 127, 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.