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27 December 2004 - Railway Locomotives and
Rolling Stock Asbestos Exemption Expires January 2005
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The Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) have announced the expiry date for exemptions from
certain parts of the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992
No3067), which allows bearings containing asbestos and asbestos seals for mudhole doors on steam locomotives. The Certificate of Exemption
will cease and no longer be legal after 31 December 2004.
Legislative deadline results are as follows:
- Trains containing bearings or their housings consisting
of resin-containing asbestos can continue to be used, but when these parts
need replacing asbestos-containing parts may not be used. Therefore any
new or replacement parts used after the 31 December 2004 must not consist
of resin-containing asbestos.
- Steam engines using asbestos-containing seals for
mudhole doors can continue to be used but when those seals need replacing
asbestos-containing materials may not be used.
However, exemption certificates allowing museums, Minor
Railways and Heritage Railways requiring the supply of vehicles with
residual amounts of asbestos, do not have an end date and will remain valid
after the expiry date of 1 January 2005.
Other factors allowing continued use after 1 January 2005
are:
- Preservation of bodywork to prevent asbestos particles
to escape.
- No intrusive work into body shell, unless expert
consulted and safe practice undertaken.
- Licensed contractors only allowed to work with
asbestos.
- Mark 1 rolling stock prohibited from operating after 1
January 2003, unless exemption issued under Regulation 6 of these
regulations.
- Rolling stock with hinged doors prohibited after 31
December 2004, unless doors have central locking means in closed position
or exemption in place.
The HSE's view and legal outline can be accessed by
clicking the following:
HSE's View and Legal Outline
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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