Asbestos Workers Survey (v1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Asbestos Workers Survey
IRAS ID
136588
Contact name
Gillian Nicholls
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Health and Safety Executive
Research summary
Are regulations to control occupational exposure to asbestos reducing the risk of asbestos related disease in the UK?
By the 1960s, the risk of asbestosis and various cancers associated with asbestos exposure was well-established. In 1969 the Asbestos Regulations, designed to control workplace asbestos exposure, were implemented in Great Britain. In 1971, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) established the Asbestos Workers Survey. The aim of this survey was to monitor the long-term health of asbestos workers and thereby determine whether the regulations were effective in reducing the risk of asbestos-related ill-health. The British Medical Association REC gave its approval for the survey.
Asbestos workers were invited to at first voluntary and later statutory medical examinations. At the examination, they were asked to complete the survey questionnaire and completion of the questionnaire was taken as implied consent. No formal written consent was required at that time. Workers who completed the questionnaire were flagged for cancer and death registrations. In this way, HSE was informed of cancers and deaths occurring among these asbestos workers and could monitor their long-term health.
Changes in research ethics led to workers being explicitly given the choice around year 2000 to opt out of the survey and then subsequently required HSE to apply for section 60 class action support. Section 60 support was granted in 2006; at the same time, a consent form was introduced which all workers were asked to sign before completing the survey questionnaire. Since 2006 all new survey participants and workers returning for a further examination have signed the consent form. It is not feasible to contact individuals who joined the survey in earlier times.
In 2011, HSE formally agreed to process the Northern Ireland Asbestos Worker Survey questionnaires together with the GB questionnaires, creating a combined GB and Northern Ireland survey.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/1041
Date of REC Opinion
1 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion