Long-awaited update to UK asbestos regulations now just weeks away.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 were laid in Parliament on Monday and subject to Parliamentary approval will come into force as planned on 6 April 2012. The regulations can now be viewed here.
Guidance will be published on the HSE’s website when the regulations come into force. The requirements in relation to licensed work are unchanged as are the core requirements for all work on asbestos materials regarding identification, risk assessment, plans of work, provision of control measures and training etc.
The requirement for workers carrying out notifiable non-licensed work to have medical examinations does not come fully into force until April 2015 to provide employers time to put suitable arrangements in place. The medical surveillance arrangements for licensed work remain unchanged and licensed workers will not require an additional medical to carry out notifiable non-licensed work.