Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management

Work and Pensions Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 9 Jul 2021 Closed: 21 Oct 2022 Parliament page
This inquiry looked at how the Health and Safety Executive manages the continued presence of asbestos in buildings. The Committee found out about the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace, the groups of people who are most affected, and how well the current laws and regulations for the … Read more
14 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
1 Letter
3 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
21 Jul
2022
Report published
21 Apr
2022
Report published
2 Mar
2022
Correspondence
2 Feb
2022
Oral evidence
2 Feb
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
15 Dec
2021
Oral evidence
15 Dec
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
17 Nov
2021
Oral evidence
17 Nov
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
2 Feb 2022
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Work and Pensions Committee
Chloe Smith MP · Cabinet Office Professor Andrew Curran · Health and Safety Executive Sarah Albon · Health and Safety Executive
15 Dec 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Clare Gilham · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Darren Evans · Asbestos Testing and Consulting, Asbestos Removal Contractors Association Graham O’Mahony · UK Asbestos Training Association Prof John Cherrie · Heriot Watt University Prof Julian Peto · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Prof Kevin Bampton · British Occupational Hygiene Society and the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management Ruth Wilkinson · Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
17 Nov 2021
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Work and Pensions Committee
Charles Pickles · The Airtight on Asbestos Campaign Gill Reed · The Joint Union Asbestos Committee Joanne Gordon · Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK Liz Darlison · Mesothelioma UK Nicolas Bessot · Ministry of Labour, Employment and Integration, France Prof. Alex Burdorf · Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Prof. Thomas Kuhlbusch · The Federal Institute for Occupational Hygiene and Health (BAuA), Germany Tony Hood · Thompsons Solicitors
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asb… HC 560 21 Apr 2022 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
6 Recommendation Rejected
Sixth Report - The Health and Safe…
We also recommend that the Government investigates opportunities to improve the occupational information recorded on...
We also recommend that the Government investigates opportunities to improve the occupational information recorded on death certificates. (Paragraph 32) A strategic approach to asbestos management
Government Response
The Government does not recommend collecting additional occupational information through death registration, citing challenges, potential bias, and the need for collaboration with other departments, stating this approach is not recommended.
Department for Work and Pensions
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10 Recommendation Rejected
Sixth Report - The Health and Safe…
We recommend that a deadline now be set for the removal of asbestos from non-...
We recommend that a deadline now be set for the removal of asbestos from non- domestic buildings, within 40 years. The Government and HSE should develop and publish a strategic plan to achieve this, focusing on removing the highest risk … Read more
Government Response
The Government believes that GB currently has a mature and comprehensive plan to managing legacy asbestos risks and is concerned that moving to a fixed deadline for removal would increase the opportunity for exposure, stimulate poor removal and disposal practices, and significantly disrupt the use of many public estates.
Department for Work and Pensions
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16 Recommendation Rejected
Sixth Report - The Health and Safe…
We recommend that HSE works with others in government to develop a central digital register...
We recommend that HSE works with others in government to develop a central digital register of asbestos in non-domestic buildings, describing its location and type. In the first instance, the concept of a central register could be tested using asbestos … Read more
Government Response
HSE argues that a central register would duplicate existing requirements and would require significant resource from dutyholders and government, with no clear indicator that asbestos exposure risks would be improved.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 14 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 15
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 3
Total 14 recs + 13 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
2 Mar 2022 Correspondence with the Health and Safety Executive related to their approach to asbestos management
Parliament page