HC Deb 24 February 1994 vol 238 cc369-70W
Mrs. Angela Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will announce a decision on the recommendations by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, in Cm 817, to extend the list of prescribed occupations for which industrial injuries disablement benefit can be paid in respect of occupational deafness.

Mr. Scott

We have accepted the council's recommen-dations to extend the list of prescribed occupations to include those occupational activities mentioned in the report. Regulations will be laid to implement the recommendations from October 1994.

The occupational activities mentioned in the council's report are:

  • air arc gouging
  • the use of band saws, circular saws or cutting discs for cutting metal in the metal founding or forging industries
  • the use of circular saws for cutting products in the manufacture of steel
  • the use of burners or torches for cutting steel based products
  • work in the immediate vicinity of skid transfer banks
  • work in the immediate vicinity of knockout and shake out grids in foundries
  • mechanical bobbin cleaning
  • the use of vibrating metal moulding boxes in the concrete products industry
  • the use of high pressure jets of water or a mixture of water and abrasive material in the water jetting industry
  • work in ships' engine rooms
  • the use of circular saws for cutting concrete masonry blocks during manufacture
  • the use of pneumatic percussive tools on stone in quarry works
  • burning stone in quarries by jet channelling processes
  • in connection with work on gas turbines:

Performance testing

  • installation testing of replacement engines
  • acceptance testing of Armed Service fixed wing combat planes

work involving the use of, or in the immediate vicinity of, grinding tools on metal other than sheet metal or plate.