Changes To Asbestos Licensing Procedure

CHANGES TO ASBESTOS LICENSING PROCEDURE

Archie Mitchell, Head of Asbestos Licensing Unit ("ALU"), has written to Trade Associations asking them to share the following information with their Members.

This information relates to changes in how licence renewal applications are made and how applicants are assessed.

From 1 December 2018 renewal applications will be made electronically and the evidence to support those applications will be emailed (and in later implementation stages uploaded) to HSE at the same time. There will also be a new, more detailed, application form.

ALU will assess applications using

• the supporting evidence sent to ALU by the applicant; along with
• our experience of the applicant’s performance from site inspections.

A licensing decision will be made based on that information. The outcomes of that assessment could be one of the following:

1. HSE grants a licence without further intervention where there is enough evidence to support this, and where significant matters arising during the past licence period and past assessments have been effectively addressed;

OR

2. If there is insufficient evidence, but in a limited number of areas, HSE will contact the applicant and carry out a targeted assessment meeting. The assessment meeting will focus on the areas where there is not enough information or evidence and will not be as extensive as current assessment interviews. All the information HSE has after that meeting will be used to make a final decision on the licence application;

OR

3. If there is clearly insufficient evidence sent electronically the application may be refused without an assessment meeting.

The change will start on 1 December 2018 for those licences that expire from 1 April 2019 onwards. ALU will continue to write to licensees four months before the expiry date, as it currently does, and invite a renewal application. At that point applicants will be given details and guidance on what to do.

This new approach will be evaluated as it progresses, and we will inform applicants of any changes prior to application. New applicants will not be affected at this stage of the phased implementation of this new system.

The ALU has written to all licensees whether or not they are about to renew their licence to make them aware that a change is happening.

To separate this work from those assessments already under way under the current system the ALU are using the licence application email address for queries relating to the new system, AsbLicApplication@hse.gov.uk.

If you have any queries on this matter please use the email address above.

Yours sincerely,

Craig Evans
Chief Operating Officer
For and on behalf of UK Asbestos Training Association Limited