§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General when the Employment Medical Advisory Service terminated the appointment of a Dr. Durie as an appointed factory doctor; and for what reason.
§ Mr. TrippierDr. Durie's appointment at the Stallite Batteries factory was terminated on 11 July 1985. Workers were absorbing high levels of lead and it was decided that their medical supervision should be carried out directly by the Health and Safety Executive's employment medical advisory service.
§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General on what dates between January 1983 and December 1985 Her 152W Majesty's Factory Inspectorate visited Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire; and what specific action was taken following each visit.
§ Mr. TrippierHer Majesty's Factory Inspectorate carried out an inspection of Stallite Batteries Ltd. on 1 July 1983 and atmospheric sampling of lead in air was carried' out by HSE's occupational hygienists on 17 August 1983. These visits resulted in written advice to the firm and the issue of two improvement notices.
Visits to check progress with the requirements of the improvement notices were made on 3 November 1983, 30 November 1983, 21 February 1984, 1 March 1984 and 23 July 1984.
A further inspection was carried out on 19 September 1984 following the installation of a substantial amount of new process machinery. A letter was subsequently sent to the firm and a progress visit was made on 9 January 1985 when atmospheric sampling was also carried out.
Following this a further improvement notice was issued and a letter sent to the firm. Follow-up visits were made on 4 July, 26 September, 23 October and 27 November 1985, to check on progress.
Another atmospheric survey was carried out on 18 December 1985 and the results were discussed with the firm in March 1986.
§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General (1) on each occasion on which the appointed factory doctor took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, South Yorkshire, where male blood lead levels exceed 70 mg/100ml., what action the appointed factory doctor took;
(2) on each occasion on which the appointed factory doctor took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, where female blood lead levels exceed 40 mg/100ml., what action the appointed factory doctor took;
153W(3) on which dates during the period January 1983 to December 1985 blood samples were taken by an appointed factory doctor at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire;
(4) on each occasion when the appointed factory doctor took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, South Yorkshire, how many blood levels were found in the following categories: (a) males 0–19 mg/ 100m1., 20–39 mg/100ml., 40–59 mg/100ml., 60–69 mg/ 100m1. and 70+ mg/100ml., and (b) females 0–19 mg/ 100m1., 20–39 mg/100ml., 40–59 mg/100ml., 60–69 mg/ 100ml., 70–100 mg/100m1. and 100+ mg/100ml.
§ Mr. TrippierI regret that the information is not available. Appointed doctors are asked to provide annual statistics of the results of blood tests and workers suspended from work with lead, but not details of individual tests, the results and action taken.
§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General (1) what action the employment medical service took on each occasion on which it took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, when male blood lead levels exeeeded 70 mg/ 100 ml;
(2) what action the employment medical service took on each occasion on which it took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, South Yorkshire, when female blood levels exceeded 40 mg/100 ml.
§ Mr. TrippierProviding the results were confirmed by a follow-up test, the employment medical adviser generally certified such workers as unfit for further exposure to lead. However, some older men, and some women regarded by the doctor as not of child-bearing capacity, would not be suspended. This is in accordance with the code of practice to the regulations. The numbers and the dates on which they were suspended are given in the table.
Workers at Stallite Batteries Certified as Unfit for Further Exposure to Lead Males Females 20 August 1985 1 2 9 October 1985 — 2 8 November 1985 2 — 9 December 1985 — 1 154W
Number of results in each category (microgram per 100 millilitre). Date of test 0–19 20–39 40–49 60–69 70 or over1 Males 16 January 1985 — 2 2 4 2 24 July 1985 1 3 2 3 4 15 August 1985 — 1 3 — 4 29 August 1985 — — — — 3 24 September 1985 1 2 2 — 2 17 October 1985 — — 1 — — 31 October 1985 — 1 — 3 3 14 November 1985 — — — — 1 28 November 1985 1 6 5 4 3 2 December 1985 — — — — 1 19 December 1985 — 1 2 2 4 6 January 1986 — — 2 4 3 13 January 1986 — — — — 1 13 February 1986 — 1 3 4 6 6 March 1986 — — — 4 5 18 March 1986 — — — — 1 10 April 1986 — — — 2 4 30 April 1986 694 — — 4 2 8
Males Females 23 December 1985 — 2 22 January 1986 2 — 27 February 1986 1 — 24 March 1986 1 — 4 April 1986 — 2 15 May 1986 2 1 16 June 1986 1 — 16 July 1986 — 1 15 September 1986 — 1 16 October 1986 — 1
§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General on which dates during the period January 1983 to December 1985 blood samples were taken by the employment medical advisory service at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, South Yorkshire.
§ Mr. TrippierBlood tests were taken on the following dates:
- 16 January 1985
- 24 July 1985
- 15 August 1985
- 29 August 1985
- 24 September 1985
- 17 October 1985
- 31 October 1985
- 14 November 1985
- 28 November 1985
- 2 December 1985
- 19 December 1985
§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Paymaster General, on each occasion when the employment medical advisory service took blood samples at Stallite Batteries, Worsborough Bridge, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, how many blood lead levels were found in the following categories (a) males 0–19 mg/100ml., 20–39 mg/100ml., 40–49 mg/100ml., 60–69 mg/100ml., and 70+ mg/100ml., and (b) females 0–19 mg/100ml., 20–39 mg/100ml., 40–59 mg/100ml., 60–69 mg/100ml., 70–100 mg/100ml., and 100+ mg/100ml.
§ Mr. TrippierThe following tables show the information requested. Workers with high blood lead levels will have blood samples taken more frequently. The numbers of results in the higher end of the range are thus more an indication of the frequency of sampling than of the number of workers with these levels.
155W
Date of test 0–19 20–39 40–49 60–69 70 or over1 15 May 1986 1 2 1 3 6 28 May 1986 — — — 1 1 23 June 1986 — 2 6 3 3 2 July 1986 — — 3 — — 8 July 1986 — — 1 — — 10 July 1986 — — 2 — — 22 July 1986 1 3 1 2 2 11 August 1986 1 1 — 1 — 20 August 1986 4 2 3 1 1 September 1986 1 — — — — September 1986 2 1 — 1 — 30 September 1986 3 4 4 — 2 9 October 1986 — 2 4 2 — 16 October 1986 — — 1 — — Total 16 34 52 46 70 Females 16 January 1985 — — 3 — — 24 July 1985 — — 3 1 1 15 August 1985 — — — — 2 29 August 1985 — — 2 2 — 24 September 1985 2 — 2 2 — 31 October 1985 — 1 1 2 — 28 November 1985 — 2 1 1 — 19 December 1985 — — 2 1 1 6 January 1986 3 — 1 — — 13 February 1986 — 3 — 1 1 6 March 1986 — — 1 — — 18 March 1986 — — 3 1 — 25 March 1986 — — 2 1 — 10 April 1986 — — 2 — — 30 April 1986 — 2 2 1 1 15 May 1986 — 1 — 1 1 23 June 1986 — 1 3 1 — 2 July 1986 — 1 1 — — 8 July 1986 — — 1 — — 10 July 1986 — 1 1 — — 22 July 1986 — 2 — — — 4 August 1986 — 2 — — — 11 August 1986 — 3 — — — 15 August 1986 1 — — — — 20 August 1986 4 1 — — — September 1986 1 — 1 — — September 1986 — 1 1 1 — 30 September 1986 — 3 1 — — 9 October 1986 — 2 3 1 — Total 11 26 37 17 7 1 None of the female levels were greater than 100.