Asbestos (Hansard, 28 May 2004)

§ Huw Irranca-Davies
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of(a)the risk of exposure to asbestos to householders from building materials in houses and outbuildings, (b)the level of public awareness of such risks, (c)the expected levels of illness and death of householders exposed to asbestos in the home and (d)the desirability of further measures to raise awareness of such risks amongst the public. [166747]

§ Jane Kennedy
The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for exposure to asbestos where it is within the scope of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
For the 1974 Act to apply to domestic premises, there would have to be either an associated work activity or undertaking. Therefore, most risks to householders from asbestos in their homes are outside the scope of the Act.
6W

§ Mr. Paterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of farm buildings in England in which asbestos may be present. [176643]

§ Jane Kennedy
During the development of the regulatory impact assessment for the new duty to manage asbestos; Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 an assessment was made of the number of premises likely to require an asbestos survey.
This assessment suggests that approximately 50 per cent. of buildings on farms would need to be inspected for asbestos. The number of agricultural premises requiring a survey under the new regulation was estimated to be 70,000.

§ Mr. Paterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the health risks to farmers and their employees arising from(a)working in, (b)repairing and (c)dismantling farm buildings clad with corrugated sheeting made from asbestos cement containing white asbestos. [176645]

§ Jane Kennedy
The health risks will depend on the methods of work employed and the type of material being worked on.
Asbestos cement, the most common asbestos-containing material on farms, is considered a lower risk than other types of material because it does not easily release asbestos fibres. The controls required when working on asbestos cement are therefore relaxed accordingly. For this reason the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 do not require an HSE licensed contractor to be used for work with asbestos cement.

§ Mr. Paterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether farmhouses occupied by farmers or their employees are regarded as workplaces for the purposes of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. [176647]

§ Jane Kennedy
If the building's primary purpose is a residence, farmhouse or other home, whether tied to the farm or rented out, it will normally be classed as domestic premises for the purposes of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. Therefore regulation 4 (the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises) does not apply to them.

§ Mr. Paterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether financial assistance is available to the farming industry to assist in complying with the provisions of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. [176649]

§ Jane Kennedy
There is no specific financial assistance from the Department of Work and Pensions to help farmers comply with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002.
However, the new duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises is designed to be flexible and compliance with the duty should be costly only where the risk justifies it. For example, asbestos-containing materials should be left in place if they are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed.
7W

§ Mr. Paterson
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice he has given farmers on alternatives to white asbestos construction products used specifically for the purposes of fire prevention and insulation in farm buildings; and what assessment has been made of the safety of these alternatives. [176651]

§ Jane Kennedy
Centrally the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has consulted with representatives of the farming community, including the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Rural, Agricultural and Allied Workers section of the TGWU, on issues relating to asbestos through the Health in Agriculture Group which was set up in 1997. Guidance on asbestos is also included in the HSE guide to health and safety on farms 'Farmwise'. The NFU have also produced specific guidance on asbestos for their members, upon which HSE commented.
In order to inform the debate on the banning of white asbestos, and on behalf of the EC's Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment, HSE commissioned the Institute of Environment and Health to carry out a review comparing the risks from white asbestos with other materials that could be used as alternatives. This concluded that the physical properties of a range of alternative materials led to the conclusion that appropriate substitutes for chrysotile asbestos should be used. The findings were endorsed by the EC committee as well as the Department of Health's committee on carcinogenicity.