Summary
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has concluded a review of Great Britain’s (GB) asbestos control limit (CL) and determined that the current legal limit of 0.1 fibres per millilitre (f/ml) will not be lowered. This decision follows a review of international scientific evidence and the European Union’s recent move to reduce its occupational exposure limit. The HSE maintains that the current GB framework, which requires exposures to be reduced to ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’ (ALARP), is sufficient. The review suggests that lowering the limit would not significantly improve health outcomes but would substantially increase the regulatory and financial burden on businesses by bringing lower-risk activities into the scope of ‘licensed’ work.
Analysis
The HSE’s position highlights a distinct regulatory philosophy compared to the European Union. While the EU is moving toward stricter numerical thresholds (0.01f/ml in 2025), the HSE argues that the British 4-hour time-weighted average is a more conservative measurement of real-world exposure than the EU’s 8-hour average. The analysis suggests that the UK’s emphasis on controlling fibre release at the source is more effective than the EU’s increased reliance on respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
The HSE’s findings indicate that the primary barriers to worker safety are not the legal limits themselves, but rather gaps in training, site discipline, and regulatory enforcement. By opting not to change the limit, the HSE is prioritising the practical application of existing ‘licensable work’ frameworks over legislative changes that might cause administrative inflation without reducing actual exposure. However, this divergence may lead to future scrutiny if EU health outcomes appear to improve more rapidly under stricter limits.
Article Link