HSE consults on strengthening asbestos protections
HSE is consulting on proposals to improve the protection provided by the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
The consultation seeks views on three key proposals designed to enhance protections in areas where asbestos remains a significant health risk.
The proposals aim to:
- Ensure the independence and impartiality of roles in the four-stage clearance process to further minimise the risk of exposure from asbestos to workers and building users after it has been removed.
- Drive up the standard of asbestos surveys to ensure dutyholders have the information they need to safely manage asbestos risks.
- Clarify the type of work that constitutes work with asbestos known as Notifiable Non-Licensed Work (NNLW).
The consultation is aimed at dutyholders, asbestos analysts, asbestos removal contractors, asbestos surveyors and associated professions in facilities management and construction.
Rick Brunt, HSE’s director of Engagement and Policy, said the proposals mark “an important step towards further strengthening protections for workers and the public,” adding that HSE wants input from all those involved in the asbestos regulatory system to ensure the approach remains effective and proportionate.
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said asbestos “remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK,” and the consultation aims to improve the existing regulatory framework and enhance both worker and public protection from asbestos exposure.
The consultation runs until 9 January 2026 and you can read the proposals and give your feedback here.
