9 March 2004 - Ban on High-Chromium Cement
The HSC is consulting on a proposed ban on high-chromium cement, a known cause of allergic dermatitis - a painful, disfiguring and sometimes disabling skin disease. Once the skin is sensitised, the condition can become irreversible and threaten the livelihoods of builders, bricklayers, tilers and anyone who uses cement, concrete, mortar, grout and tile adhesive.
An amendment to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and the Chemical Hazards Information and Packaging Regulations 2002 (CHIP) will bring about the ban. The amendment implements a European Community Directive and would come into force in January 2005, however, where the chromium VI content has been brought down to safe levels, manufacturers will be required to mark on the packaging the 'use by' date of the reducing agent, and the amendment will not apply where there is no risk of skin contact.
It would therefore become illegal to supply and use cement with more than two parts per million of chromium VI, although at present most cement used in the UK contains more than this level of chromium VI and therefore presents an unnecessary risk to workers' health, although it can be made safe through the addition of a reducing agent.
The Consultative Document for these amendments is available here.
