HL Deb 18 May 1993 vol 545 cc1641-3

The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:

What advice they are giving to people involved in sheep dipping as to the protective clothing they should wear, and what other precautions should be taken.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)

My Lords, advice on protective clothing is given on the product label and in the data sheets of individual products. General advice about the precautions to be taken is contained in the Health and Safety Executive's leaflet Sheep dipping: Protect your health which is available free from any of its local offices. In line with recent advice from the Veterinary Products Committee a leaflet and poster giving advice on the safe use of organophosphorus sheep dips have also been produced and sent to all sheep farmers in the UK.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Earl for that reply. Only today I heard from a sheep farmer that the poster in particular was wonderful. It is the first time that sheep farmers have been warned about the dangers. Last Thursday the noble Earl, in reply to a question from me, said: It is up to each individual farmer to undertake a COSHH assessment prior to a dipping operation so as to identify any particular hazards which may need to be addressed. In some circumstances respiratory equipment may be necessary". —[Official Report, 13/5/93; col. 1367.] I wonder whether the noble Earl would be prepared to clarify that statement because the new leaflet contains nothing about hazards from inhalation. As far as I can make out, there is no published research on the dangers of inhalation from sheep dip. If a farmer is liable for making a risk assessment, how can he make that assessment without all the facts?

Earl Howe

My Lords, lest the noble Countess loses sight of what I have said repeatedly in the past, there is no clear evidence from information currently available that any unacceptable health risk arises from sheep dipping provided the dips are used in accordance with the guidance and labelling instructions that have been made available. However, sheep dipping operations are covered under COSHH. COSHH requires a reasoned common sense assessment to be made of the risks to health and the precautions needed to minimise exposure in the particular circumstances of the farming activity. The leaflet that we have just published and the label instructions make clear that concentrate must not be used in an enclosed area. The vapour must not be inhaled and a face shield should be used when handling the concentrate. There is no such requirement when handling the diluted dip. But if, for example, dipping is to be done in a confined area, which is contrary to recommended conditions, the COSHH assessment may indicate that in such circumstances the use of respiratory equipment is advisable as a precaution.

Baroness Nicol

My Lords, is the Minister satisfied that he has full information on the number of cases of poisoning that occur? Is he aware of a report in this month's edition of Health & Safety at Work which draws attention to a survey by Nottingham-Trent which states that only 5 per cent. of doctors feel that they have seen all the information that is available and that around 7 per cent. feel that they have been trained insufficiently to recognise cases when they see them? That is a rather serious finding. I wonder whether the Minister can comment on it.

Earl Howe

My Lords, as at 12th May the number of suspected adverse reactions to sheep dips involving humans since 1st January 1985 reported to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate was 389, involving 474 individuals. A significant proportion of the reports received since 1990 are historical cases where a suspected adverse reaction has occurred more than one year previously. These figures compare with more than 1 million sheep dippings which have been carried out over the same period. I am aware of claims that many more people have been affected. Those claims are being pursued, but anyone who thinks that he may have been affected is urged to submit a report to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate as quickly as possible.

The Countess of Mar

My Lords, may I press the noble Earl on the dangers of inhalation? It is common among farmers to say that when they inhale it their symptoms get worse if they have already been affected. Will the noble Earl ask his right honourable friend the Minister to instigate urgently proper research on the dangers from inhalation and if necessary to obtain the services of scientists at Porton Down who have very sensitive equipment for testing OPs in the air?

Earl Howe

My Lords, one of the projects being funded by the HSE at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh is assessing the occupational hygiene standards of sheep dipping practices and processes. In addition, the HSE's field consultant group is to carry out field studies on six farms when sheep dipping is in progress during the 1993 dipping season. Both studies will include atmospheric monitoring and sampling for organophosphates, solvents, phenols and aerosols.

Lord Gallacher

My Lords, in his earlier reply to the noble Countess the Minister referred to publicity material on this question from the Health and Safety Executive. Is he aware that the Health and Safety Executive suggests in its Farmwise publication that farmers should use an alternative to dipping or a dip that does not contain organophosphorous compounds? Is there not an inconsistency here between that advice and the Government's present wait and see attitude?

Earl Howe

My Lords, there is no conflict in the advice given by MAFF and the HSE. The HSE advice is that where a COSHH assessment justifies it there is no objection to the use of OP sheep dips. However, I understand that the HSE intends to review the wording of the Farmwise booklet, which the noble Lord mentioned, to make sure that there is no possible ambiguity in the way in which their advice is framed.

Baroness Strange

My Lords, risking immediate incineration by my noble friend the Chief Whip, perhaps I may ask your Lordships what components sheep dip has in common with nerve gases?

Earl Howe

My Lords, there are quantitative and qualitative differences in the compounds which go into organophosphate sheep dips on the one hand, and, on the other, into products produced during the Second World War; for example, for the purposes of nerve gas.

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