Martin Stear

Martin Stear is a fully qualified Occupational Hygienist with nearly 30 years occupational hy-giene experience, nearly 20 years in consultancy and over 10 years in HSE, the last 6 years as a Principal Specialist Inspector (Occ Hyg), heading the Industry Risks and Programme Devel-opment section. Martin has extensive experience developing national risk management strate-gies aimed at reducing risks to health in various industry sectors.

Throughout this work Martin has represented HSE nationally and internationally, developing workable and often innovative solutions, aimed at reducing workplace risks. Key areas of work have included solvents, coat-ing powders, metalworking fluids in the engineering industry, cytotoxic drugs and polycyclic ar-omatic hydrocarbons, amongst many others.

Martin has also played a key role in the development of HSE’s strategies for managing the risks from asbestos in the UK, in particular providing technical expertise on the asbestos ‘duty’ manage and the four stage clearance procedure, and the review of HSE’s guidance for li-censed contractors, and analysts. He was co-author of HSG 227 - A comprehensive guide to managing asbestos-containing materials in premises, and provided technical expertise to the development of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (and Approved Codes of Practices), MDHS 100 (Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances) and other guidance. Martin also has extensive experience of surveying for asbestos (types 1,2 and 3) large premises, for example, hospitals, industrial sites and office blocks. He has also managed large scale asbestos removal contracts, from tender to final clearance for re-occupational, and has lectured on many courses, including BIOH (now BOHS) modules (e.g. S301).

Martin has investigated many asbestos incidents and as acted as an expert witness for the pri-vate and public sector, with regard to criminal prosecutions and civil litigation. He has acted in approaching one hundred cases and has provided evidence in court on civil and criminal cases. Cases have included multi-million pound claims as a result of the contamination of schools, poor asbestos surveying and contamination of major high street retail department stores, as well as occupational ill health claims. Cases of note include HSE v Marks & Spencer and Oth-ers (2011), Williams v Birmingham University (2009) and Southfield School for Girls v Briggs & Forrester Electrical Ltd and others (2007).

Martin has in-depth experience of national and international asbestos-related policy strategies and legislation, and has delivered many presentations, and has published peer-reviewed papers and articles.

1992 BEBOH Diploma of Professional Competence in Occ. Hygiene, 1993 NEBOSH Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health (distinction), 1990 BEBOH Certificate of Operational Competence in Occupational Hygiene, 1988 BEBOH Preliminary Certificate in Asbestos (credit), 1989 BEBOH Preliminary Certificate in Harmful Dusts, 1990 BEBOH Preliminary Certificate in Workplace Control, (Note BEBOH is now the Faculty of BOHS)

Martin is Registrar to the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). Martin is also a Fellow of the Faculty. Martin was Chair of the management committee of the Asbestos Building Inspectors Certification Scheme (ABICS).