April 1st – 7th, marks the Global Asbestos Awareness Week for 2021.  Even to this day, asbestos is still prevalent, with only 70% of the world still using it, with Canada and the United States being the only Western countries.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates 125 million people around the world are exposed annually to asbestos in the workplace.  Other non-profit groups such as UK Asbestos Training Association(UKATA) and Asbestos Disease Awareness Organisation (ADAO) continually campaign to educate people of the risks and prevent exposure through simple infographics the one shared here.

Even with the exposure given by these major organisations, the awareness of asbestos is still not highly recognised.  Looking at the UK, where Asbestos has been banned, recent data highlights that self-employed trades-people are more than likely to overlook the consequences of the potential dangers; making a fifth of all asbestos deaths.  It also has not helped with asbestos training, in the construction industry, showing a significant fall during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Training remains below average since the re-opening of construction sites in May last year, the lowest it has been in five years.  

Craig Evans, Chief Operating Officer of the UKATA, said; “Our concern is health and safety training is being overlooked as construction sites push to make up for time lost during the lockdown.  This not only increases construction workers’ risk of exposure to deadly asbestos but also the buildings’ users.”

The UKATA ‘Train Safe, Work Safe, Keep Safe’ Campaign addresses Craig Evans’s concerns.  Asbestos training needs to be up to date and carried out by accredited and professional training, not via YouTube! (referring to self-employed tradespeople).

Gaskell Safety offers two courses where you can update your knowledge and awareness of Asbestos.  Have a look at the Construction Safety Package and the CITB Asbestos Awareness Training.

What are your views on Asbestos, leave a comment below.