Proposals for reducing the incidence of occupational asthma, including an Approved Code of Practice: Control of substances that cause occupational asthma

Consultation ended 16 February 2001

This consultative document contains a strategy for reducing occupational asthma, which includes a draft Approved Code of Practice. While the Health and Safety Commission is not formally required to consult on the strategy options, it would appreciate your views on how to best tackle the disease.

The draft Approved Code of Practice at Appendix 2 of this consultative document is issued by the Health and Safety Commission in compliance with its duty to consult, under Section 16(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, bodies which appear to it to be appropriate before submitting proposals for the issue of Approved Codes of Practice.

Introduction

1. This document sets out proposals from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) for action to reduce the incidence of occupational asthma in England, Scotland and Wales. The proposals have been drawn up because, despite the provision of legal controls on substances causing the disease, enforcement activity and campaigns to raise awareness, each year around 3,000 people are developing a work-related disease which may leave them severely disabled or even kill them.
   
2. HSC/E and key stakeholders have agreed to work in partnership on projects aimed at reducing the incidence of the disease. The work is at the heart of Revitalising Health and Safety and Securing Health Together which set out targets for improvements in occupational health and safety, including a 20% reduction in incidence of occupational ill health by 2010. Since occupational asthma is a priority area, HSC would like to set a more ambitious target for the reduction in the number of people each year who develop this disease.
   
3. Please consider the package of proposals in this document and let us have your views, including any other suggestions which you consider would make an impact. Please also tell us what you consider would be a stretching, but realistic target, for reducing the incidence of occupational asthma. The section Invitation to comment on page 8 tells you how to respond and the reply form lists questions we would like you to consider.