A new campaign by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aiming to reduce the number of asbestos related deaths in the UK construction industry.
Latest research by the organisation revealed 1.3m tradesmen from all areas of construction are putting themselves at risk by coming into contact with the deadly material up to 100 times a year. At greatest risk are those working in buildings built before 1970 as it’s thought around 53% of these may contain asbestos in the walls, ceilings, floor tiles and even some boilers and toilet cisterns as well as external features such as soffits and gutters.
Disturbing asbestos by drilling or sawing through it causes the microscopic fibres contained within it to be released into the air where they can be breathed in which is known to cause cancer (mesothelioma) after prolonged exposure. Currently in the UK, around twenty workers die every week from diseases caused by asbestos.
The research, which questioned 500 builders, carpenters and painter and decorators and other industry professionals, also found many construction workers do not know how to keep themselves safe from asbestos, with some respondents thinking simply opening a window or drinking a glass of water would reduce the risk. And almost one-fifth of those surveyed were not aware where the material could be found; only 15% knew asbestos could be present in buildings constructed before the year 2000.
Worryingly, only around one-third of those questioned were able to correctly identify the right ways to work with asbestos. Carpenters, joiners and plumbers were the highest scorers with around 71% answering all questions correctly while painters and decorators and construction workers recorded the least amount of correct answers.
As a result of the survey, commissioned by Censuswide in September 2014, the HSE has launched the new campaign. Among the initiatives put in place are 200,000 asbestos safety kits being available to buy at TradePoint stores throughout the country, which contain practical information on how to look out for potential contact with asbestos and a free pair of Type 5 disposable overalls to help workers stay safe.
There is also a new free app, called the Beware Asbestos app, to download on the HSE website which helps anyone potentially working with asbestos to understand what the risks are and how to deal with them. It works on smartphones and tablets as well as PCs and laptops so tradesmen can take it with them to work every day. The app will tell users whether there is no asbestos present so they are safe to carry on, how to minimise the risks where they are working or suggest they stop working and call a specialist asbestos removal contractor.
The campaign was launched by the minister responsible for health and safety, Mark Harper, and HSE chief executive Philip White in October.
If you have been exposed to asbestos and your health has suffered as a result, you may be able to make a claim for compensation. Visit our dedicated website – www.asbestosisclaims.com – for more information or call 0800 028 2060 to speak to a member of our experienced team. Alternatively, you can request a call back at a time convenient for you here.