Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, this is higher than the number of people killed on the road each year.
Around 20 Tradesmen die each week as a result of past exposure.
However, Asbestos is not just a problem of the past. It can be present today in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.-->
When materials that contain Asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases.-->
These diseases will not affect you immediately; they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything.-->
This is why it is important that you protect yourself now.-->
Workers involved in refurbishment, maintenance and other similar trades, could be at risk of exposure to Asbestos during their work. This includes:-->
You are most at risk when:
Workers who may need this level of information, instruction and training include those listed under the Asbestos awareness topic on the previous page and whose work will require them to disturb Asbestos-containing materials such as:
The information, instruction and training for non-licensable work with Asbestos, including NNLW, should cover the following:
Most work with higher risk Asbestos-containing materials must be carried out by licensed contractors. Only competent workers and managers, provided with suitable information, instruction and training and using appropriate respiratory and other protective equipment, may undertake licensed Asbestos work. Further information on providing information, instruction and training for licensable work can be found in the Licensed Contractors' Guide HSG 247 and the Approved Code of Practice L 143 Managing and Working with Asbestos.