Effect Of Coshh Regulations On Volunteer Fire Brigades

EDM number 454 in 1990-91, proposed by Alan Beith on 12/02/1991.

That this House views with grave concern the threat to island communities and other remote communities arising from the application of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations to volunteer fire brigades; notes that the provision of breathing apparatus for all volunteer crews would involve very high cost and would severely restrict the number of volunteers able to undertake training in small communities; notes that for this reason the Holy Island volunteer fire brigade in Northumberland is threatened with disbandment, and believes that scores of volunteer fire brigades in Highlands and Islands, Strathclyde, Grampian and other regions could not be similarly threatened; believes that if brigades are disbanded and equipment withdrawn, local people in remote communities will continue to fight fires and save life without the help of training or equipment, thus facing greater danger; and calls upon Ministers in the Home Office and the Scottish Office to initiate urgent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive and the fire authorities in order to seek a solution to this problem.

This motion has been signed by a total of 9 MPs.