Research by the Health and
Safety Executive has shown that 20 tradesmen die each week
because they have breathed in asbestos fibres in the workplace. It
shows that although young tradesmen, such as plumbers and
electricians, know that asbestos is
dangerous, they don't realise they are personally at risk.
Launching an awareness campaign, 'Asbestos-the hidden killer',
Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC),
says "If (people) work on any building built or refurbished
before the year 2000 it could contain asbestos." HSE's
Asbestos campaign will remind tradesmen to take precautions against
asbestos.
Recent statistics suggest that 4,000 people currently die of
asbestos diseases each year. This figure is set to rise to nearly
5,000.
Andrew Morgan, asbestos lawyer at Field
Fisher Waterhouse, says "It is still common for workers to come
into close proximity to asbestos nowadays. Brief periods of
asbestos exposure today can lead to serious illness and death in
the future. The Control of Asbestos at Work
Regulations provide some protection but they are no substitute
for increased awareness".