The revised Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 were laid before Parliament on Monday 5th March. Subject to Parliamentary approval these will come into force on 6 April 2012.
Revisions are required to the current Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to satisfy legal opinion and make the UK fully compliant in its implementation of a European Commission Directive.
Guidance will be published on HSE's website when the regulations come into force.
The requirements in relation to licensed work are unchanged as are the core requirements of the existing regulations in relation to identification of asbestos, carrying out a risk assessment, plans of work, putting in place suitable control measures and training workers.
The main changes are that employers carrying out some types of non-licensed work will be required to notify that work, keep a record of the work done by each worker and ensure that those workers have medical examinations at least once every 3 years. A three year transition period exists up to 30th April 2015 before the requirement for a medical examination comes into force.
The medical examination arrangements for licensed work remain unchanged. Licensed workers will not require an additional medical to carry out notifiable non-licensed work.