Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK.
The changing legislation has meant many old reports are ineffective and the on-going management of asbestos within a workplace is not taken seriously. We provide both surveying, management planning and some minor removal work.
This site provides health and safety advice and guidance so that those who may be exposed to asbestos at work know what to do to protect themselves and others.
When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases which are responsible for around 4000 deaths a year. There are four main diseases caused by asbestos: mesothelioma (which is always fatal), lung cancer (almost always fatal), asbestosis (not always fatal, but it can be very debilitating) and diffuse pleural thickening (not fatal).
Asbestos fibres are present in the environment in Great Britain so people are exposed to very low levels of fibres. However, a key factor in the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease is the total number of fibres breathed in. Working on or near damaged asbestos-containing materials or breathing in high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels can increase your chances of getting an asbestos-related disease.
Asbestos related diseases won’t affect immediately but later on in life, so there is a need for you to protect yourself now to prevent you contracting an asbestos-related disease in the future. It is also important to remember that people who smoke and are also exposed to asbestos fibres are at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer.
You are mostly at risk when:
Remember, as long as the asbestos is not damaged or located somewhere where it can be easily damaged it won’t be a risk to you.
If you work in any of the following occupations, and are working on a building built or refurbished before 2000, you may come in to contact with asbestos:
This list does not include all occupations where you may come in to contact with asbestos.