Asbestos dangers on timetable for trainee tradesmen in Dorset

Date:

30 November 2009

Release No:

591SWW/09

The dangers of asbestos are a high priority area for trainee tradesmen at Bournemouth and Poole College in Dorset and a special 'lesson' from a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) expert put it top of the timetable on Thursday (26 November 2009).

HSE's visit to The Fulcrum campus, in Vantage Way, Poole, is one date in a college tour across Britain, aimed at promoting its 'Asbestos: The hidden killer' campaign which was launched earlier this month.

Around 20 tradesmen each week die from asbestos-related diseases and the sessions aim to give the next generation advice on where they are most likely to find it and how to protect themselves from breathing in the deadly fibres.

Any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos, including an estimated 500,000 non-domestic buildings. It is tradesmen who are most at risk of exposure by disturbing or damaging it through cutting or drilling.

Sarah Mallagh, HSE's asbestos expert who led the session, said:

"Asbestos-related diseases claim around 4000 lives every year. Roughly a quarter of these deaths are people in the building trades. Though many deaths are currently from exposure to asbestos 20, 30 or 40 years ago, it isn't just a risk of a bygone age and tradesmen cannot afford to be complacent. It is still present in thousands of buildings and risks being disturbed or damaged by the work they do.

"The college tour and the wider campaign are about arming today's workforce with the information they need to take to protect themselves from this deadly dust."

The campaign is being supported by unions, employers representatives, health charities, sufferers and victims groups.

Free asbestos information packs are available by visiting www.hse.gov.uk/hiddenkiller. The information highlights where asbestos-containing materials may be present, what they look like, how they should be dealt with and where to find training.

Notes to editors

Pictures taken during this special session are available: HSE Asbestos college session [zip 23KB]

1. HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace safety and health. It aims to reduce injuries and illness in the workplace.
2. Although the rising levels of mesothelioma deaths reflect the increased use of asbestos in construction in the 1960s, much of this material is still in place in modern workplaces and still has the potential to kill.
3. If asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it is unlikely to be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Those responsible for managing building maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings, have a duty to inform tradesmen if asbestos is present in a building where they are working. Most work with asbestos containing materials will need to be carried out by a contractor licensed by HSE. Non-licensed workers can carry out some tasks depending on' the type of asbestos-containing material, the work to be done and that they have been trained and the proper controls are in place.

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI news & PR South West.