03/11/2009 - Campaign warns of asbestos danger
A new month-long national campaign has been launched to warn 1.8 million tradesmen at risk from asbestos to beware of the UK's biggest workplace killer.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), more than 35,000 Britons died from mesothelioma - the asbestos-related cancer - between 1977 and 2007.
The HSE, which warned that deaths from diseases connected with asbestos are on a yearly increase, also highlighted that nearly a quarter of the 4,000 people who die from them across the nation are tradesmen such as plumbers, electricians and decorators.
Research found that tradesmen generally consider asbestos a historical problem and are unaware of the chances of it being present in any building constructed or refurbished before 2000.
Steve Coldrick, the HSE's asbestos programme director, said: "Sadly there is nothing we can do to stem the tragic loss of workers who were exposed to asbestos in years gone by.
"But we can listen to their stories, and the one thing we hear time and again from older workers is that they were never told about the risks of working with asbestos."
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks posed by asbestos and what action they need to take to protect themselves.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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