On average, 20 tradesmen die from exposure to asbestos every week. That’s about a quarter of the 4,000 people who die every year from exposure to asbestos. Less people are killed on the roads.
Although asbestos containing materials are no longer used within the construction industry the risk of exposure to asbestos is still very real. This applies in particular to anybody working on or refurbishing any buildings built before the year 2000. It’s estimated that there are over half a million commercial buildings in GB which could still contain asbestos. Many domestic properties could too.
You cannot work with asbestos unless you have been trained to do so. Most work involving asbestos requires a licence from HSE. Other work does not require a licence but you still need to be trained to do it.
HSE’s Hidden Killer campaign aims to make tradesmen more aware of the risks from asbestos. This is why the Federation of Master Builders is continuing to work with HSE to encourage all tradesmen to get the right advice and guidance on how to protect themselves and work safely. We cannot allow this hidden killer to claim another generation of tradesmen.
It’s not just dust - so be aware, be protected.
