§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what health consequences, expressed in terms of deaths per million persons exposed are assumed to result from occupational exposures to(a) kaolin,(b) respirable quartz,(c) welding fume,(d) cement dust,(e) styrene,(f) isocyanates and(g) xylene at the current relevant occupational exposure limits for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement. [43717]
§ Angela EagleOccupational Exposure Standards have been set under the control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (1994) (COSHH) for kaolin, welding 523W fume, cement dust and xylene, such that repeated exposure by inhalation at that level should not cause any adverse health effects.
For respirable quartz, isocyanates and styrene, a level of exposure which is both safe and reasonably practicable to achieve cannot be identified and Maximum Exposure Limits (MEL) have been set under COSHH. Employers are required to ensure that exposure is kept as far below the MEL as is reasonably practicable. For isocyanates and styrene, there is no evidence to suggest that death could result from exposures at these levels.
The Health and Safety Executive has published statistics on the incidence of silicosis, which is the key health effect from exposure to respirable quartz. However, there are no precise data on the numbers of deaths which result from silicosis; nor is it possible to determine how many deaths might result from exposure to respirable quartz at the level of the MEL, although we expect the figure to be small (Health & Safety Commission Health and Safety Statistics 1996/1997).