Industrial health and safety

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on industrial health and safety. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
06.12.2011Electricity substations and health
Electricity substations, like overhead power lines and electrical appliances in the home, are sources of extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields. These have given rise to health concerns and calls for protective legislation.
02.12.2011Health and safety: police
Concerns that health and safety laws unduly burden the police have led to the production of new guidance.
18.11.2011Health and safety: small businesses
Health and safety legislation applies to the smallest of businesses but guidance from the Health and Safety Executive and government reviews aim to simplify compliance.
27.06.2011Asbestos-related diseases: payments from the Department for Work and Pensions
Exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to a number of serious diseases. People suffering from certain conditions may be able to pursue a civil claim for damages against one or more employers responsible for exposing them to asbestos negligently and/or in breach of a statutory duty. Compensation may also be available under schemes administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
23.03.2011Mesothelioma: civil court claims
This note deals only with civil court claims for mesothelioma. A separate note on claims for Pleural Plaques is also available. Other notes on asbestos include: Asbestos: damage, control and policy (SN/SC/5913)

Research Papers

DateDescription
02.11.2007Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill Committee Stage Report
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill Committee Stage Report. (Bill 156 2006/07). House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/73.
29.06.2007Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill. (Bill 118 of 2006/07). House of Commond Library Research Paper 07/57.
06.10.2006Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill (Bill 220 of 2005-06). House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/46
01.03.2005Health and Safety (Directors' Duties) Bill (Bill 22 of 2004/05)
The Health and Safety (Directors' Duties) Bill. (Bill 22 of 2004/05). House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/18.
05.10.1999Asbestos
Asbestos. House of Commons Library Research Paper 99/81.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
03.03.2010Vehicle and Operator Services Agency: Enforcement of regulations on commercial vehicles.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
21.10.2009Workplace health and safety: follow-up report.
Government response. Department for Work and Pensions; Work and Pensions Select Committee report [Commons]
08.07.2009Workplace health and safety: follow-up report.
Work and Pensions Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
06.02.2012EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS
That this House is aware that every year in the UK over 4,000 people die as a result of their past exposure to asbestos, deaths which are not confined to only those employed in industrial ...
10.01.2012FATALITIES AND MAJOR INJURIES IN THE WORKPLACE
That this House is alarmed that the number of people killed in the workplace in the last financial year increased to 171, 24 more than in the previous 12 months; is concerned at figures ...
22.11.2011AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS IN BUSINESS PREMISES
That this House is concerned at the risk to firefighters' lives and safety caused by fires in industrial and commercial buildings, as well as the cost of these fires through the loss ...
22.11.2011USE OF PEROXIDE IN HAIRDRESSING
That this House notes a number of recent tragic cases of people injured and even killed by peroxide hair products; further notes that these injuries are entirely preventable without ...
17.10.2011FEES AND CHARGES OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE
That this House opposes the idea of charging small firms for health and safety inspections, as proposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE); notes that there is a risk this could ...

POST Papers

DateDescription
01.02.2009Food hygiene standards, February 2009
This briefing describes recent developments in food regulation and examines options to improve food hygiene in businesses through monetary penalties, training and the use of local "Scores on the Doors" schemes.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library