What is being done to reduce risks from asbestos?
Much has been done to control the risk from asbestos. Work with asbestos generally requires a licence and the use of strict control measures, including personal protective equipment such as respirators. The fact that a wide range of people now have the potential to be exposed to asbestos – particularly workers involved in building maintenance – has led to the latest set of Regulations – The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. This came into force on 13 November 2006 (Asbestos Regulations – SI 2006/2739) and brings together three previous sets of Regulations covering the prohibition of asbestos, the control of asbestos at work and asbestos licensing. The Regulations prohibit the importation, supply and use of all forms of asbestos and they continue the ban introduced for blue and brown asbestos in 1985 and for white asbestos in 1999. They also continue to ban the second-hand use of asbestos products such as asbestos cement sheets and asbestos boards and tiles; including panels which h
