The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a new campaign this week to remind people working in construction trades about the risks associated with asbestos. Despite being banned in the UK by 1999, asbestos still remains in millions of homes and buildings, and exposure to it is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain.

Asbestos was once a popular building material due to its durability and fire resistance, but it was later discovered to be highly dangerous when inhaled. Exposure to asbestos fibres can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. The problem with asbestos is that symptoms of these diseases may not appear for many years after exposure, which means that people who were exposed to asbestos decades ago are only now being diagnosed with these diseases.

Asbestos is commonly found in building materials such as insulation, floor tiles, and roofing materials, and those carrying out repairs or refurbishment work are at a higher risk of disturbing asbestos fibres. This is why the HSE is targeting construction tradespeople with their ‘Asbestos and You’ campaign, with a particular focus on younger workers who have recently joined the industry.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with asbestos and to remind construction workers to take precautions when working in buildings that may contain asbestos. Builders, carpenters, electricians, joiners, plasterers, plumbers, and roofers are just some of the trades being urged to take the risks of asbestos seriously.

The HSE hopes that by raising awareness of the risks associated with asbestos, they can reduce the number of people who are exposed to this dangerous material. They want to ensure that younger workers who started their careers after the use of asbestos was banned in the UK are aware that the risk still remains and that they must take precautions when working in older buildings.

It is important for construction tradespeople to be aware of the risks associated with asbestos and to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and others. The HSE’s ‘Asbestos and You’ campaign is an important reminder of the dangers of asbestos and the need to manage the risks associated with it. By working together, we can reduce the number of people who are exposed to asbestos and prevent future cases of asbestos-related diseases.

Key facts

Asbestos-containing materials were used extensively in the construction and maintenance of buildings from the 1950s – 2000
Asbestos is dangerous when not maintained in a safe condition or if physically disturbed without the right measures in place to avoid fibres being released into the air
If asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural thickening
These diseases often take a long time to develop, and it can take 20 to 30 years for symptoms to appear
Construction tradespeople of any age are at significant risk if they disturb materials containing asbestos during repairs and refurbishment
Where it can’t be maintained safely in place, it must be removed.

Find out more

Visit the HSE ‘Asbestos & You’ campaign website for more information about the campaign and how you can support it. You’ll also be able to download a new ‘quick guide for trades’.