§ 18. Mr. Terry Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the operation of the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983.
§ Mr. GummerThe regulations come into operation on 1 August 1984. I am now looking closely at the procedures for considering applications for licences to see that the regulations are effectively implemented.
§ 47. Mr. Lofthouseasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to improve the operation of the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983.
§ Mr. GummerThe Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 come into force on 1 August 1984. I am informed that the Health and Safety Commission intends to review the regulations after their first year in operation.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what facilities a company working with asbestos is required to provide for the laundering of contaminated protective clothing.
§ Mr. GummerThe Asbestos Regulations 1969 require that protective clothing should be cleaned at suitable intervals and that either this should be carried out by the employer or the clothing should be dispatched for cleaning in sealed and labelled containers. Additional guidance on the cleaning of protective clothing is given in the approved code of practice and guidance note on work with asbestos insulation and asbestos coating.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the requirements needed by any company that has been, or is to be, licensed to remove asbestos.
§ Mr. GummerThe requirements are set out in detail in the Health and Safety Executive publication "A Guide to the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will require any company licensed to remove asbestos to keep a medical register of all its employees handling asbestos.
§ Mr. GummerThe Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983, which come into effect on 1 August, require that employees are medically examined once every two years and that employers retain the doctor's certificates for at least four years. In addition the Health and Safety Commission intends in the near future to issue a consultative document proposing new regulations for the 145W control of asbestos at work which will require employers to keep an occupational health record for each asbestos worker for at least 30 years.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he requires when issuing licences to companies for asbestos removal work regarding their training schedules for workers employed on this work; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerWhen a licence is issued to a company for asbestos removal it is one of the standard conditions that the licensee shall provide appropriate instruction and training for his employees.
Where a firm has a poor record with regard to the provision of training, specific conditions about training are attached to the licence. The Health and Safety Executive then monitors the standard of training given.