§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what study he has made of the evidence supplied to him of the recent near-disaster at Norton Canes; if he will now give urgent consideration to the need for clearer identification of containers containing dangerous or highly inflammable substances; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the incident at Norton Canes was investigated by Cannock Chase district council, since the council has responsibility428W for enforcing the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 in the premises where the spillage occurred and I understand that at this stage the possibility of legal proceedings cannot be ruled out.
Provisions for clear identification of containers containing many dangerous or highly inflammable substances already exist in the Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1978—SI 1978, 209—which cover dangerous substances supplied in containers for use in the United Kingdom and listed in a schedule to the regulations. They do not at present include tetrahydrothiophene in their scope but are being extended continuously to include other dangerous substances supplied for use in the workplace in the United Kingdom under the technical progress committee procedure in the EEC for further adaptation of directives and this material may be considered for inclusion in a future revision.