Source: http://smartleges.com/en/law-library/the-control-of-asbestos-regulations-2012-2012-no-632/2008834
Timestamp: 2017-03-24 08:05:33
Document Index: 467586223

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 4', 'art 2']

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, 2012 No. 632, Version as made
THE CONTROL OF ASBESTOS REGULATIONS 2012UK Statutory InstrumentsVersion as made2012 No. 632
PART 1. PreliminaryPART 2. General requirementsPART 3. Prohibitions and related provisions	Version as made
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 15(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6)(b), (9),18(2), 80(1) and 82(3) of, and paragraphs 1(1) to (4), 3(2), 4, 6, 8 to 11, 13(1) and (3), 14, 15(1), 16 and 20 of Schedule 3 to, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974(1) (“the 1974 Act”) and section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (“the 1972 Act”)(2).
In doing so the Secretary of State gives effect without modifications to proposals submitted to him by the Health and Safety Executive (“the Executive”) under section 11(3) of the 1974 Act after consulting in accordance with section 50(3) of that Act, and it appearing expedient to him after consulting such bodies as appear to him to be appropriate in accordance with section 80(4) of that Act.
The Secretary of State is a Minister designated for the purpose of section 2(2) of the 1972 Act in relation to the regulation and control of classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances and preparations(3), and persistent organic pollutants, dangerous substances, preparations and chemicals(4).
PART 1Preliminary1. These Regulations may be cited as the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and come into force on 6th April 2012.
(a) asbestos actinolite, CAS No 77536-66-4;
(b) asbestos grunerite (amosite) , CAS No 12172-73-5;
(c) asbestos anthophyllite, CAS No 77536-67-5;
(d) chrysotile, CAS No 12001-29-5 or CAS No 132207-32-0;
(e) crocidolite, CAS No 12001-28-4; and
(f) asbestos tremolite, CAS No 77536-68-6,
(a) asbestos cement; or
(b) any article of bitumen, plastic, resin or rubber which contains asbestos, and the thermal or acoustic properties of the article are incidental to its main purpose;
(a) asbestos cement, asbestos coating or asbestos insulating board; or
(b) any article of bitumen, plastic, resin or rubber which contains asbestos and the thermal and acoustic properties of that article are incidental to its main purpose;
“control measure” means a measure taken to prevent or reduce exposure to asbestos (including the provision of systems of work and supervision, the cleaning of workplaces, premises, plant and equipment, and the provision and use of engineering controls and personal protective equipment) ;
(a) police, fire, rescue and ambulance services;
(b) Her Majesty’s Coastguard;
“employment medical adviser” means an employment medical adviser appointed under section 56 of the 1974 Act(5 ) ;
“enforcing authority” means the Executive, local authority or Office of Rail Regulation, determined in accordance with the provisions of the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998(6 ) and the provisions of the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority for Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations 2006(7 ) ;
“ISO 17020” means European Standard EN ISO/IEC 17020, “General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection” as revised or reissued from time to time and accepted by the Comité Européen de Normalisation Électrotechnique (CEN/CENELEC) (8 ) ;
“ISO 17025” means European Standard EN ISO/IEC 17025, “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories” as revised or reissued from time to time and accepted by the Comité Européen de Normalisation Électrotechnique (CEN/CENELEC) (9 ) ;
(a) where the exposure to asbestos of employees is not sporadic and of low intensity; or
(b) in relation to which the risk assessment cannot clearly demonstrate that the control limit will not be exceeded; or
(c) on asbestos coating; or
(d) on asbestos insulating board or asbestos insulation for which the risk assessment—
(i) demonstrates that the work is not sporadic and of low intensity, or
(ii) cannot clearly demonstrate that the control limit will not be exceeded, or
(iii) demonstrates that the work is not short duration work;
“risk assessment” means the assessment of risk required by regulation 6(1) (a) ;
“the 1997 WHO recommended method” means the publication “Determination of airborne fibre concentrations. A recommended method, by phase-contrast optical microscopy (membrane filter method) ”, WHO (World Health Organisation) , Geneva 1997(10 ).
(a) work which consists of the removal, repair or disturbance of asbestos or materials containing asbestos;
(b) work which is ancillary to such work; and
(c) supervision of such work and such ancillary work.
(a) that work, including any ancillary work liable to disturb asbestos, takes more than two hours; or
(b) any person carries out that work for more than one hour.
(5) For the purposes of these Regulations, except in accordance with regulation 11(3) and (5) , in determining whether an employee is exposed to asbestos or whether the extent of such exposure exceeds the control limit, no account must be taken of respiratory protective equipment which, for the time being, is being worn by that employee.
(6) In these Regulations the provisions of Appendix 7 to Annex XVII of the REACH Regulations(11 ) , which determine the labelling requirements of articles containing asbestos, are reproduced in Schedule 2 (with minor changes reflecting the practical implementation of the requirements).
3. (1) These Regulations apply to a self-employed person as they apply to an employer and an employee and as if that self-employed person were both an employer and an employee.
(2) Regulations 9 (notification of work with asbestos) , 18(1) (a) (designated areas) and 22 (health records and medical surveillance) do not apply where—
(a) the exposure to asbestos of employees is sporadic and of low intensity; and
(b) it is clear from the risk assessment that the exposure to asbestos of any employee 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, or
(ii) removal without deterioration of non-degraded materials in which the asbestos fibres are firmly linked in a matrix, or
(iii) encapsulation or sealing of asbestos-containing materials which are in good condition, or
(iv) air monitoring and control, and the collection and analysis of samples to ascertain whether a specific material contains asbestos.
(a) under regulation 10 (information, instruction and training) do not extend to persons who are not employees of that employer unless those persons are on the premises where the work is being carried out; and
(b) under regulation 22 (health records and medical surveillance) do not extend to persons who are not employees of that employer.
(4) Regulation 17 (cleanliness of premises and plant) , to the extent that it requires an employer to ensure that premises are thoroughly cleaned, does not apply—
(a) in England and Wales, to a fire and rescue authority within the meaning of section 1 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004(12 ) or, in Scotland, to a relevant authority within the meaning of section 6 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005(13 ) , in respect of premises attended by its employees for the purpose of fighting a fire or in an emergency; or
(b) to the employer of persons who attend a ship in dock premises for the purpose of fighting a fire or in an emergency, in respect of any ship so attended,
PART 2General requirements4. (1) In this regulation “the dutyholder” means—
(a) every person who has, by virtue of a contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent in relation to the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises or any means of access or egress to or from those premises; or
(b) in relation to any part of non-domestic premises where there is no such contract or tenancy, every person who has, to any extent, control of that part of those non-domestic premises or any means of access or egress to or from those premises,
(a) such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances must be taken; and
(b) the condition of any asbestos which is, or has been assumed to be, present in the premises must be considered.
(5) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (4) , the dutyholder must ensure that—
(c) ensuring that information about the location and condition of any asbestos or any such substance is—
(a) the plan is reviewed and revised at regular intervals, and without delay if—
(a) “the assessment” is a reference to the assessment required by paragraph (3) ;
(b) “the plan” is a reference to the plan required by paragraph (8) ; and
(c) “the premises” is a reference to the non-domestic premises referred to in paragraph (1).
(a) that employer has carried out a suitable and sufficient assessment as to whether asbestos, what type of asbestos, contained in what material and in what condition is present or is liable to be present in those premises; or
(b) if there is doubt as to whether asbestos is present in those premises, that employer—
(i) assumes that asbestos is present, and that it is not chrysotile alone, and
(ii) observes the applicable provisions of these Regulations.
6. (1) An employer must not carry out work which is liable to expose employees of that employer to asbestos unless that employer has—
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) , the risk assessment must—
(c) consider the effects of control measures which have been or will be taken in accordance with regulation 11;
(d) consider the results of monitoring of exposure in accordance with regulation 19;
(f) consider the results of any medical surveillance that is relevant; and
(c) the results of any monitoring carried out pursuant to regulation 19 show it to be necessary,
(4) Where, in accordance with the requirement in paragraph (2) (b) , the risk assessment has determined that the exposure to asbestos of employees of that employer may exceed the control limit, the employer must keep a copy of the significant findings of the risk assessment at those premises at which, and for such time as, the work to which that risk assessment relates is being carried out.
7. (1) An employer must not undertake any work with asbestos without having prepared a suitable written plan of work detailing how that work is to be carried out.
(d) the characteristics of the equipment to be used for—
(i) protection and decontamination of those carrying out the work, and
(ii) protection of other persons on or near the worksite;
(e) the measures which the employer intends to take in order to comply with the requirements of regulation 11; and
(f) the measures which the employer intends to take in order to comply with the requirements of regulation 17.
8. (1) An employer must hold a licence granted under paragraph (2) before undertaking any licensable work with asbestos.
(a) the person who wishes to be granted the licence has made an application for it on a form approved for the purposes of this regulation by the Executive; and
(b) the application was made at least 28 days before the date from which the licence is to run, or such shorter period as the Executive may allow.
(a) comes into operation on the date specified in the licence, and is valid for any period up to a maximum of three years that the Executive may specify in it; and
(b) may be granted subject to such conditions as the Executive may consider appropriate.
(a) add further conditions and vary or omit existing ones; and
(b) reduce the period for which the licence is valid or extend that period up to a maximum of three years from the date on which the licence first came into operation.
(a) when required by the Executive for any amendment; or
(b) following its revocation.
9. (1) For licensable work with asbestos, an employer must notify the appropriate enforcing authority of—
(a) the particulars specified in Schedule 1 in writing at least 14 days (or such shorter time before as the appropriate enforcing authority may agree) before undertaking any licensable work with asbestos; and
(b) any material change, which might affect the particulars notified in accordance with (1) (a) (including the cessation of the work) , in writing and without delay.
(2) For work with asbestos which is not licensable work with asbestos and is not exempted by regulation 3(2) , an employer must notify the appropriate enforcing authority of—
(a) the particulars specified in Schedule 1, before work is commenced; and
(b) any material change, which might affect the particulars notified in accordance with (2) (a) , without delay.
10. (1) Every employer must ensure that any employee employed by that employer is given adequate information, instruction and training where that employee—
(a) is or is liable to be exposed to asbestos, or if that employee supervises such employees, so that those employees are aware of—
(i) the properties of asbestos and its effects on health, including its interaction with smoking,
(ii) the types of products or materials likely to contain asbestos,
(iii) the operations which could result in asbestos exposure and the importance of preventive controls to minimise exposure,
(iv) safe work practices, control measures, and protective equipment,
(v) the purpose, choice, limitations, proper use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment,
(vi) emergency procedures,
(vii) hygiene requirements,
(viii) decontamination procedures,
(ix) waste handling procedures,
(x) medical examination requirements, and
(xi) the control limit and the need for air monitoring,
(b) carries out work in connection with the employer’s duties under these Regulations, so that the employee can carry out that work effectively.
(c) provided in a manner appropriate to the nature and degree of exposure identified by the risk assessment, and so that the employees are aware of—
11. (1) Every employer must—
(a) prevent the exposure to asbestos of any employee employed by that employer so far as is reasonably practicable;
(b) where it is not reasonably practicable to prevent such exposure—
(i) take the measures necessary to reduce exposure to asbestos of any such employee to the lowest level reasonably practicable by measures other than the use of respiratory protective equipment, and
(ii) ensure that the number of any such employees exposed to asbestos at any one time is as low as is reasonably practicable.
(2) Where it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to prevent the exposure to asbestos of any such employee employed by that employer in accordance with paragraph (1) (a) , the measures referred to in paragraph (1) (b) (i) must include, in order of priority—
(b) the control of exposure at source, including adequate ventilation systems and appropriate organisational measures,
(3) Where it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to reduce the exposure to asbestos of any such employee to below the control limit by the measures referred to in paragraph (1) (b) (i) , then, in addition to taking those measures, the employer must provide that employee with suitable respiratory protective equipment which will reduce the concentration of asbestos in the air inhaled by that employee (after taking account of the effect of that respiratory protective equipment) to a concentration which is—
(a) below the control limit; and
(b) as low as is reasonably practicable.
(a) comply with any provision of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002(14 ) which is applicable to that item of personal protective equipment; or
(b) in the case of respiratory protective equipment, where no provision referred to in sub-paragraph (a) applies, be of a type approved or must conform to a standard approved, in either case, by the Executive.
(a) ensure that no employee is exposed to asbestos in a concentration in the air inhaled by that worker which exceeds the control limit; or
(b) if the control limit is exceeded—
(i) immediately inform any employees concerned and their representatives and ensure that work does not continue in the affected area until adequate measures have been taken to reduce employees’ exposure to asbestos below the control limit,
(ii) as soon as is reasonably practicable identify the reasons for the control limit being exceeded and take the appropriate measures to prevent it being exceeded again, and
(iii) check the effectiveness of the measures taken pursuant to sub-paragraph (ii) by carrying out immediate air monitoring.
12. (1) Every employer who provides any control measure, other thing or facility pursuant to these Regulations must take all reasonable steps to ensure that it is properly used or applied as the case may be.
(a) where relevant take all reasonable steps to ensure that it is returned after use to any accommodation provided for it; and
(b) report any defect discovered without delay to that employee’s employer.
13. (1) Every employer who provides any control measure to meet the requirements of these Regulations must ensure that—
(a) in the case of plant and equipment, including engineering controls and personal protective equipment, it is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, in good repair and in a clean condition; and
(b) in the case of provision of systems of work and supervision and of any other measure, any such measures are reviewed at suitable intervals and revised if necessary.
14. (1) Every employer must provide adequate and suitable protective clothing for any employee employed by that employer who is exposed or is liable to be exposed to asbestos, unless no significant quantity of asbestos is liable to be deposited on the clothes of an employee while at work.
(5) Where, as a result of the failure or improper use of the protective clothing provided in pursuance of paragraph (1) , a significant quantity of asbestos is deposited on the personal clothing of an employee, then for the purposes of paragraphs (2) , (3) and (4) that personal clothing must be treated as if it were protective clothing provided in pursuance of paragraph (1).
15. (1) In the event of an accident, incident or emergency related to the unplanned release of asbestos at the workplace, the employer must ensure that—
(a) immediate steps are taken to—
(b) only those persons who are responsible for the carrying out of repairs and other necessary work are permitted in the affected area and that such persons are provided with—
(2) The remainder of this regulation applies only to licensable work with asbestos, and is without prejudice to the relevant provisions of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999(15 ).
(3) Subject to paragraph (5) , in order to protect the health of an employer’s employees from an accident, incident or emergency related to the use of asbestos in a work process or to the removal or repair of asbestos-containing materials at the workplace, the employer must ensure that—
(a) procedures, including the provision of relevant safety drills (which must be tested at regular intervals) , have been prepared which can be put into effect when such an event occurs;
(b) information on emergency arrangements is available, including—
(ii) specific hazards likely to arise at the time of an accident, incident or emergency, and
(4) The employer must ensure that information on the procedures, emergency arrangements and systems required by paragraph (3) (a) and (c) and the information required by paragraph (3) (b) is—
(a) made available to the relevant accident and emergency services to enable those services, whether internal or external to the workplace, to prepare their own response procedures and precautionary measures; and
(b) the measures taken by the employer to comply with the duty under regulation 11(1) are sufficient to control that risk.
(a) the premises, or those parts of the premises where that work is carried out, and the plant used in connection with that work are kept in a clean state; and
18. (1) Every employer must ensure that any area in which work under the control of that employer is carried out is designated as—
(a) an asbestos area, subject to regulation 3(2) , where any employee would be liable to be exposed to asbestos in that area; and
(b) a respirator zone where the risk assessment cannot clearly demonstrate that the control limit will not be exceeded.
(b) in the case of a respirator zone, that the exposure of an employee who enters it is liable to exceed the control limit and that respiratory protective equipment must be worn.
(a) enter a respirator zone; and
(b) supervise any employees who enter a respirator zone,
(a) the employer’s employees do not eat, drink or smoke in an area designated as an asbestos area or a respirator zone; and
19. (1) Subject to paragraph (2) , every employer must monitor the exposure to asbestos of any employees employed by that employer by measurement of asbestos fibres present in the air—
(a) the exposure of an employee is not liable to exceed the control limit; or
(b) the employer is able to demonstrate by another method of evaluation that the requirements of regulation 11(1) and (5) have been complied with.
(a) monitoring carried out in accordance with paragraph (1) ; or
(b) where it is decided that monitoring is not required because paragraph (2) (b) applies, the reason for that decision.
(4) The record required by paragraph (3) , or a suitable summary thereof, must be kept—
(a) in a case where exposure is such that a health record is required to be kept under regulation 22, for at least 40 years; or
(5) In relation to the record required by paragraph (3) , the employer must—
(a) on reasonable notice being given, allow an employee access to the personal monitoring record for that employee;
(c) if that employer ceases to trade, notify the Executive without delay in writing and make available to the Executive all monitoring records kept by that employer.
20. (1) In paragraph (4) , “site clearance certificate for reoccupation” means a certificate issued to confirm that premises or parts of premises where work with asbestos has been carried out have been thoroughly cleaned upon completion of that work in accordance with regulation 17(b).
21. (1) Every employer who analyses a sample of any material to determine whether it contains asbestos must ensure that criteria equivalent to those set out in the paragraphs of ISO 17025 which cover organisation, quality systems, control of records, personnel, accommodation and environmental conditions, test and calibration methods, method validation, equipment, handling of test and calibration items, and reporting results are met.
22. (1) For licensable work with asbestos every employer must ensure that—
(a) a health record is maintained and contains particulars approved by the Executive for all of that employer’s employees who are exposed to asbestos; and
(b) that record, or a copy of that record is kept available in a suitable form for at least 40 years from the date of the last entry made in it; and
(c) each employee who is exposed to asbestos is under adequate medical surveillance by a relevant doctor.
(2) The medical surveillance required by paragraph (1) (c) must include—
(b) periodic medical examinations at intervals of at least once every 2 years or such shorter time as the relevant doctor may require while such exposure continues,
(3) For work with asbestos, which is not licensable work with asbestos, and is not exempted by regulation 3(2) , the requirements in paragraphs (1) (a) to (c) apply and—
(a) a medical examination in accordance with paragraph (1) (c) and (2) (a) must take place on or before 30 April 2015;
(b) on or after 1 May 2015, a medical examination in accordance with paragraph (1) (c) and (2) (a) must take place not more than 3 years before the beginning of such exposure; and
(c) a periodic medical examination in accordance with paragraph (1) (c) and (2) (b) must take place at intervals of at least once every 3 years, or such shorter time as the relevant doctor may require while such exposure continues.
(4) Where an employee has been examined in accordance with paragraph (1) (c) , the relevant doctor must issue a certificate to the employer and employee stating—
(5) An employee to whom this regulation applies must, when required by that employee’s employer and at the cost of that employer, attend during the employee’s working hours such examination and undertake such tests as may be required for the purposes of paragraph (1) (c) and must furnish the relevant doctor with such information concerning that employee’s health as the relevant doctor may reasonably require.
(a) on reasonable notice being given, allow an employee access to that employee’s personal health record;
(c) if the employer ceases to trade notify the Executive without delay in writing and make available to the Executive all personal health records kept by that employer.
(c) review any measure taken to comply with regulation 11 taking into account any advice given by a relevant doctor or by the Executive;
(e) provide for a review of the health of every other employee who has been similarly exposed, including a medical examination (which must include a specific examination of the chest) where such an examination is recommended by a relevant doctor or by the Executive.
23. (1) Every employer must ensure that the following are provided to any of that employer’s employees who is exposed to asbestos—
(b) where an employer is required to provide protective clothing, adequate facilities for the storage of—
(c) where an employer is required to provide respiratory protective equipment, adequate facilities for the storage of that equipment.
24. (1) Every employer who undertakes work with asbestos must ensure that raw asbestos or waste which contains asbestos is not—
(a) where the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009(16 ) apply, in accordance with those Regulations; and
(b) in any other case in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2.
PART 3Prohibitions and related provisions25. (1) In this Part—
(a) asbestos is present in any product; and
(b) asbestos is not a naturally occurring impurity of that product, or of any component or constituent of that product,
26. (1) A person must not undertake asbestos spraying or working procedures that involve using low-density (less than 1g/cm³) insulating or soundproofing materials which contain asbestos.
27. (1) Subject to paragraph (2) , a person must not supply under an exemption granted pursuant to regulation 29 or regulation 30 a product which contains asbestos unless that product is labelled in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2.
28. (1) Where under an exemption granted pursuant to regulation 29 or regulation 30 asbestos is used in a work process or is produced by a work process, the employer must ensure that the quantity of asbestos and materials containing asbestos at the premises where the work is carried out is reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) , where under an exemption granted pursuant to regulation 29 or regulation 30 a manufacturing process which gives rise to asbestos dust is carried out in a building, the employer must ensure that any part of the building in which the process is carried out is—
(b) is equipped with an adequate and suitable vacuum cleaning system which must, where reasonably practicable, be a fixed system.
(3) Paragraph (2) (a) does not apply to a building in which, prior to 1st March 1988, there was carried out a process to which either—
(a) as then in force, regulation 13 of the Asbestos Regulations 1969(17 ) applied and the process was carried out in compliance with that regulation; or
PART 4Miscellaneous29. (1) Subject to paragraph (3) , the Executive may, by a certificate in writing, exempt any person or class of persons or any product containing asbestos or class of such products from all or any of the requirements or prohibitions imposed by regulations 4, 8, 12, 13, 21 and 22(5) and (7) and any such exemption may be granted subject to conditions and to a limit of time and may be varied or revoked by a further certificate in writing at any time.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) , the Executive may exempt emergency services from all or any of the requirements or prohibitions imposed by regulations 7 and 9; and any such exemption may be granted subject to conditions and to a limit of time and may be varied or revoked by a further certificate in writing at any time.
31. These Regulations apply to any work outside Great Britain to which sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the 1974 Act apply by virtue of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application Outside Great Britain) Order 2001(18 ) as they apply to work in Great Britain.
32. (1) An existing licence granted by the Executive under regulation 8(2) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006(19 ) shall—
(a) continue to have effect as if it had been granted under regulation 8(2) of these Regulations;
(b) be of the duration and subject to the conditions specified in it as if that duration and those conditions had been specified under regulation 8(3) ; and
(c) be liable to variation and revocation under regulation 8(4) and (5) ,
(2) An existing exemption granted by the Executive under regulation 7(1) of the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983(20 ) , regulation 8(1) of the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992(21 ) , regulation 25(1) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002(22 ) or regulation 32 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 continues to have effect and be subject to any limitation of time or any conditions specified in it and liable to revocation as if it had been granted under regulation 29(1) or (2) of these Regulations.
33. (1) The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 are revoked.
(3) Any record or register required to be kept under the Regulations revoked either by paragraph (1) , or by any of the Regulations revoked by regulation 36(1) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 or by regulation 27(1) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 shall, notwithstanding that revocation, be kept in the same manner and for the same period as specified in those Regulations as if these Regulations had not been made, except that the Executive may approve the keeping of records at a place or in a form other than at the place where, or in the form in which, records were required to be kept under the Regulations so revoked.
34. Subject to regulation 21 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999(23 ) , in any proceedings for an offence consisting of a contravention of Part 2 of these Regulations, it is a defence for any person to prove that all reasonable precautions were taken and all due diligence was exercised by that person to avoid the commission of that offence.
35. (1) The Secretary of State must from time to time—
(a) carry out a review of regulations 1 to 34;
(2) In carrying out the review the Secretary of State must, so far as is reasonable, have regard to how Council Directive 2009/148/EC which repealed and replaced Council Directive 83/477/EEC as amended by Council Directive 91/382/EEC and Directive 2003/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, on the protection of workers from the risks of exposure to asbestos at work (which is implemented by means of regulations 1 to 34) , is implemented in other Member States.
(a) set out the objectives intended to be achieved by the regulatory system established by those regulations;
C. GraylingMinister of State,Department for Work and Pensions27th February 2012