• Education is Key

    There have been a number of strange news stories involving asbestos over recent weeks, which have 

    further shown the lack of information and protection provided to workers against the dangerous 

    material over the last 50 years. For example, UK tabloids told of a woman who recently died after 

    receiving hugs and kisses from her asbestos-covered husband when he came home from work 

    covered in the toxic dust. Exposed in the 1970s and 80s, it is believed that this worker and his wife 

  • Room for Improvement

    Caused by past exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma incidence rates have increased significantly in the UK since the early 2000s and correlate with the rise and fall of asbestos use and exposure in the 20th century. Because symptoms appear on average 40 years after exposure, this long latency period, combined with the drop in asbestos exposure after the 1960s, means mesothelioma cases are anticipated to reach their peak in 2020 before falling into decline.

  • Better to be Safe than Sorry

    Despite the wealth of information available and the regulations and legislation that should be adhered to, there are many companies in the asbestos industry that still take an ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach when it comes to removing asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACMs) from properties. For example, it was in December this year that a man was fined for exposing himself, his assistant and the residents of a house in Putney to the deadly carcinogenic following the potential discovery of asbestos in the property’s boiler cupboard.

  • Raising Awareness To Lower Risks

    Although the first mass circulated report of an asbestos worker’s death took place in 1924, it is apparent that there is still confusion surrounding the health risks of asbestos and asbestos containing materials. In fact, following a survey undertaken by Censuswide in September 2014 that involved interviews with 500 tradespeople, the HSE has launched a new safety campaign with the aim of encouraging tradespeople to think about the dangers of asbestos on every job so they prepare accordingly.

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