Surveys | Testing | Management | Awareness Training | Operational Team

Breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to many asbestos related diseases. These are mainly cancers of the chest and lungs and they kill more people than any other single work re-laters cause. There is a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the start of the desease. The can vary between 15 and 60 years. The vast majority of people now dying from asbestos during the 1950s and the 1960s. But of course people in the asbestos industry still work with it today.

Many of those suffering today from asbestos-related diseases working in the building trades. They were carpenters, joiners, shopfitters, plumbers, electricians, gas services engineers etc. They were exposed to asbestos fibres in their day to day work with asbestos containing materials or because work with asbestos was carried out near to them.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. It has been used for 150 years on a large scale. It is versatile, plentiful and ideal as a fire-proofing and insulation material. But can be deadly! The main types of asbestos that have been used commercially are:

• Crocidolite (blue)
• Amosite (Brown)
• Chrysotile (white)

IMPORTANT: All are dangerous.

Who is likely to be harmed?

Repair and maintenance workers are most at risk. These people are most likely to disturb or damage asbestos containing materials and they often don't realize that they are working on asbestos. The 'duty to manage' law is designed to protect these workers by requiring those people who are responsible for repair and maintenance work to buildings to make sure they manage asbestos within that building

Asbestos Dust Kills

• Present number of deaths from asbestos related diseases is now around 5000 per year
• This will rise to around 10 - 12 thousand by the year 2024

A first class construction material…but detrimental health effects including:

• Asbestosis
• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Cancer of the larynx, digestive tract and kidneys
• Pleural plaques and pleural effusion