Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the exposure to chemical flame retardants on workers in (a) the upholstery industry and (b) the waste and recycling industry.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recognised the risks to textile workers who routinely handle finished fabrics, including those treated with fire-resistant finishes. HSE has produced a specific guidance page on its website which covers both the initial manufacture and any secondary processing of finished fabrics (such as upholstery). The guidance page can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/textiles/fabric-finishes.htm

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) outline specific duties on employers to protect workers from harmful substances, such as foams and flame retardants, which may be contained in soft furnishings such as mattresses and sofas. HSE provides practical advice and guidance on the basics of COSHH, completing COSHH assessments and links to industry specific information and guidance to prevent and control workplace exposure to harmful substances at http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh(opens in a new tab).

The waste and recycling industry recognises the potential risks to workers from disposing of waste upholstered furniture (WUDs) containing fire retardants. The current Environment Agency guidance is available here - Manage waste upholstered domestic seating containing POPs - GOV.UK. HSE scientists have visited a number of sites processing this waste to sample possible worker exposures. The Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) is currently preparing sector health and safety guidance based on this.