History of Asbestos Legislation

The asbestos mineral has been acknowledged since ancient times but it was not until the 1830s that its use in the UK became widespread. The phenomenon of asbestos as a wonder mineral continued to sweep across the modern world until the late 60s when the dangers of exposure to its fibres were first recognised and laws to protect health and safety issues began to be established.

Exposure to asbestos in the workplace was identified as a risk to workers and the Asbestos Regulations 1969 were passed with the goal of managing contact with the dangerous fibres.

The next main step in asbestos legal proceedings did not happen until fourteen years’ later. In 1983 the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations came in to play, effectively necessitating an HSE (Health and Safety Executive) license for any person working with asbestos coating or asbestos insulation products.

This was followed in 1985 by the UK’s Asbestos (Prohibition) Regulations in original form which sought to ban the import or use of the more dangerous forms of asbestos, namely crocidolite (blue asbestos) and amosite (brown asbestos).

In 1987 the Asbestos Regulations 1969 were replaced by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations, which aimed to ensure tighter controls, in particular focusing on prevention of exposure to asbestos while at work.

It was not until 1992 that some usage of white chrysotile asbestos was added to the prohibition law from seven years’ earlier which related to usage and importation of blue and brown asbestos.

And in 1993 the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations of 1987 were amended to necessitate the substitution of any material containing asbestos, at least as far as possible.

Although since 1983 the HSE license requirement had been in place for any work involving asbestos coating or insulation products, it took another 15 years until the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations were changed to incorporate AIB (asbestos insulation board) in 1998.

With the use and import of blue, brown and some usage of white chrysotile already banned, a 1999 ruling saw the complete prohibition concerning use and import of chrysotile.

As a new Millennium dawned, the controls regarding asbestos became stricter and in 2002 the “duty to manage” policy was introduced to protect further against instances of asbestos exposure in the workplace.

In 2003 the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations were again amended, this time to ensure that details of any asbestos work requiring a license were communicated to the relevant authority at least 14 days in advance of the work starting.

The most recent turn of events concerning asbestos law came in 2006, when all previous laws including prohibition and licensing regulations were rolled into the all-encompassing Control of Asbestos Regulations.

Table 1. Asbestos Legislation Timeline