§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to making regulations under section 15 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to impose requirements with respect to the construction, maintenance and examination of escalators similar to those contained in Offices, Shops and Railway Premises (Hoists and Lifts) Regulations 1968 (S.I., 1968, No. 849).
§ Mr. NichollsI have received no such proposal from the Health and Safety Commission. I am not aware of any reason to take a substantially different view from that taken by my predecessor in replying to the Adjournment debate held on 23 December 1981 at column 1043.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will discuss with the Health and 317W Safety Executive the case for revising its guidance notes relating to escalators with respect to (a) uniformity in the siting, size and content of escalator warning notices and (b) the fitting of stand-off skirt guards or other deflector devices to all existing escalators to minimise trapping accidents.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Health and Safety Executive will review its guidance note "Safety in the use of escalators" when it has received a report on research which is being undertaken on their behalf by the Institute for Consumer Ergonomics and which includes(a) an appraisal of escalator warning signs and (b) an evaluation of deflector devices on escalators in shopping centres and department stores.