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

were not protected by the company through the provision of information on the dangers of working

with asbestos as well as advice on how to protect themselves from potential illness and disease.

Another recent news article had a man questioning whether his asbestos-contaminated lunchbox

gave him cancer after working alongside cable layers who drilled through asbestos-laden walls.

Believing the deadly microscopic fibres from the drilling found their way into his sandwiches, the

man now suffers from peritoneal mesothelioma, a more rare form of the disease that affects only

ten per cent of sufferers. With workers allegedly never warned that they were working in an area

with asbestos, a lack of understanding has once again resulted in a devastating diagnosis.

With many tradesmen back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s given poor advice on how to protect

themselves (many were often told to drink milk as a way to wash the asbestos out of their system!)

it is no surprise that deaths from asbestos-related diseases are expected to peak between 2015 and

2020. However, with the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s (ADAO) Global Asbestos

Awareness Week (GAAW) 2016 taking place in the US from 1st -7th April, it is anticipated that more

knowledge on the deadly carcinogenic will be shared through the education of communities. Holding

its 12th Annual International Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference at The Crystal Gateway

Marriott in Arlington, VA, from 8th – 10th April, the event will include talks from global experts on the

most state-of-the-art developments in asbestos disease prevention, mesothelioma treatment and

the advocacy of a global ban.

Committed to the elimination of asbestos, the US-based ADAO aims to prevent asbestos-related

diseases and improve the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) estimations of 107,000 workers

around the world dying of the disease - an amount that equals 300 deaths per day - by raising public

awareness on the prevalence of asbestos-related disease and the dangers of exposure to asbestos

through education, advocacy and communication with the community.

Wherever you are in the world, it is clear that asbestos remains a very real danger to a vast number

of people, which is why shared knowledge, innovative developments and continued awareness of

the dangers is key. Having seen the results of past mistakes, we now know that it is only through

working in a safe, efficient manner, in line with all regulatory requirements, that we will lower the

shocking statistics related to asbestos use and exposure.

Should you require an asbestos survey or asbestos removal services, contact ARG. Proud to comply

with all health and safety requirements, we are committed to delivering the best possible solution to

our clients in a way that ensures efficiency, safety and optimum quality throughout each project.

Telephone: 020 8804 8008