Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

particular job, there is still a need to comply with the rest 
of the requirements of the Asbestos Regulations.
If the work is licensable there are a number of 
additional duties, to:
➤
notify the enforcing authority responsible for the site 
where the work is being done (for example, HSE or 
the local authority)
➤
designate the work area (see Regulation 18 for details)
➤
prepare specifi c asbestos emergency procedures; 
and
➤
pay for employees to undergo medical surveillance.
The Asbestos Regulations require any analysis of the 
concentration of asbestos in the air to be measured in 
accordance with the 1997 WHO recommended method.
From 6 April 2007, a clearance certifi cate for 
re-occupation may only be issued by a body accredited 
to do so. At the moment, such accreditation can only be 
provided by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service 
(http://www.ukas.com/).
More details of how to undertake work with asbestos 
containing materials, the type of controls necessary, 
what training is required and analytical methods can be 
found in the following HSE publications
➤
Approved Code of Practice Work with Materials 
containing Asbestos, (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/
books/l143.htm) L143, ISBN 0 7176 6206 3
➤
Asbestos: the Licensed Contractors Guide, HSG 
247, ISBN 0 7176 2874 4
➤
Asbestos: The analysts’ guide for sampling, analysis 
and clearance procedures, HSG 248, ISBN 0 7176 
2875 2
➤
Asbestos Essentials, HSG 210, ISBN 0 7176 1887 
0 (Asbestos Essentials task sheets are available on 
the Asbestos Essentials area of this website).
17.34.2
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 
and 2005
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995)
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 aims to 
end the discrimination that many disabled people face. 
This Act gives disabled people rights in the areas of:
➤
employment
➤
education
➤
access to goods, facilities and services
➤
buying or renting land or property.
The Act also allows the government to set minimum 
standards so that disabled people can use public trans-
port easily.
From 1 October 2004, Part 3 of the DDA 1995 has 
required businesses and other organizations to take 
reasonable steps to tackle physical features that act as 
a barrier to disabled people who want to access their 
services.
This may mean to remove, alter or provide a reason-
able means of avoiding physical features of a building 
which make access impossible or unreasonably diffi cult 
for disabled people. Examples include:
➤
putting in a ramp to replace steps
➤
providing larger, well defi ned signs for people with a 
visual impairment
➤
improving access to toilet or washing facilities.
Businesses and organizations are called ‘service pro-
vider’ and include shops, restaurants, leisure centres 
and places of worship.