The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have launched a new campaign, Asbestos and You.

The campaign is specifically aimed at young workers in the construction trades and wants to reach those who started their career after the use of asbestos was banned in 1999.

Asbestos containing materials were used extensively in the construction and maintenance of buildings in Great Britain from the 1950s up until its ban. 5000 people a year still die from past exposure to asbestos and the HSE are concerned that those younger workers in the construction trades may perceive asbestos as something that only affects older people who were working before the ban.

The campaign is raising an awareness that potentially lethal asbestos fibres can be released at any time – you can’t see, smell or feel the fibres in the air or on your clothes. Asbestos didn’t disappear when it was banned. I can be found in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000 and it could be on a building you are working on right now.

HSE’s chief executive Sarah Albon said:

“Asbestos exposure in Great Britain is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths.  We are committed to protecting people in the workplace and reducing future work-related ill health. Everyone working in construction today, of any age, must take the risk from asbestos seriously”.

Here at Faelsafe we take the risks associated with asbestos extremely seriously and have the following safety measures in place:

• All our engineers embark on Asbestos Awareness courses on a regular basis to keep up to date with the risks and guidance.
• We check if the buildings we are working on were built or refurbished before 2000
• If possible, we plan the job to avoid disturbing asbestos
• We ask if a survey has been done on the building

WHERE ASBESTOS HIDES

(Images from Asbestos and You Campaign)

For further information and guidance, the HSE have published a quick guide for trades  which explains the main risks and what to do about them, as well as your legal responsibilities.