Anyone aware of a response from the Regulators on this issue?

My reading of this is that it has potential for signficant impact on tasks currently considered "non-licensed"; great chunks of ACoP and the Task Manual will need change and much training and competency for non-licensed work will need to be 'undone'.

[The European Commission has requested that the UK amend its regulations on asbestos at work because they do not comply fully with parent EU Directives. This follows a complaint received by the Commission that Articles 3(3)(a) and (b) of the asbestos Directive (2003/18/EC, 2009/148/EC also refers) have not been correctly transposed into UK law.]

The required wording changes to Reg 3 (2)(c)(i) and (ii) look to have significant impact! Correct transposition means Uk Regs should read:

3(2) Subject to paragraph (3), regulations 8 (licensing), 9 (notification of work with asbestos), 15(1) (arrangements to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies), 18(1)(a) (asbestos areas) and 22 (health records and medical surveillance) shall not apply where –

(a) the exposure of employees to asbestos is sporadic and of low intensity;

(b) it is clear from the risk assessment that the exposure of any employee to
asbestos will not exceed the control limit; and

(c) the work involves –

(i) short, non-continuous maintenance activities, in which only non-friable materials are handled;

(ii) removal without deterioration of non-degraded materials in which the asbestos fibres are firmly linked in a matrix,

10 missing words - big, big impact?

Ron

Not seen an official response yet, I assume there was a time frame given in which a response/appeal could be lodged as that is usually the case. Have not looked at the content in as much detail as you obviously have, but it did appear that if implemented ANY work with/on asbestos would be licensable. If that is the case I would imagine the regulators legal advisers are scrutinising this with a fine tooth comb, because as you say it would be a major change for the UK.

I also wonder if the recent parliamentary vote on giving person's staying in one of Her Majesties Hotels! a vote at elections will have any impact as here again it looks as if the British Government are on a collision course with the EU.

Brian

The complainant was ARCA!

http://www.arca.org.uk/A...rticle.asp?ArticleID=300

At very bottom of the above article is a brief response from HSE.