Asbestos Risk to Trades People

Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos, kills one people every five hours in the UK; twenty trades people die of the disease every week, making the disease Britain's worst workplace killer.

Cases are set to peak between 2011 and 2015 as the disease generally develops between 15 and 60 years after exposure - many of those who will develop the disease will have been exposed to asbestos before the dangers of mesothelioma were widely known.

Trades people such as builders, plumbers, carpenters, gas fitters and electricians are particularly at risk as they may experience exposure to asbestos without being aware of it.

The report carried out by the British Lung Foundation drew attention to the fact that many trades people are unaware of the potential risks. Less than a third of those asked were aware that asbestos exposure can cause cancer while nearly a third wrongly believed that most asbestos had been removed from UK buildings.

Perhaps most worryingly, nearly 75% of those asked have had no training in how to deal with asbestos.

The report was commissioned by the British Lung Foundation in time for Action Mesothelioma Day on February 27th, part of the campaign to raise public awareness and understanding of the disease and improve treatment of mesothelioma sufferers.

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