Asbestos is still a major killer in the UK!
Last Updated on 28 September 2021
Asbestos still killing people despite ban over 20 years ago in UK
It has now been two decades since all asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) were banned from being used in the UK, yet worryingly, the toxic substance is still taking the lives of thousands of people on a yearly basis.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, or the IOSH for short, published findings last month that revealed a number of worrying statistics regarding asbestos in the UK.
So, in this blog post the RB Asbestos team explore the IOSH’s report in further detail, and explain why these figures reiterate the importance of ensuring that your properties are completely asbestos free.
What did the IOSH report reveal about asbestos in the UK?
The IOSH are the world’s largest professional health and safety organisation, that speak for the millions of working people within the UK. One of IOSH’s key duties is campaigning against the issues that affect British workers, such as exposure to asbestos.
Early last month, the IOSH published a report which disclosed several worrying statistics. Arguably, the most worrying point to come out of the report was that the IOSH outlined the UK Governments own figures that ssbestos is still killing more than 5,000 people a year in the UK.
In addition to this, the IOSH also claimed that in the last 12 months, more than 130 companies or individuals were ordered to stop all work-related activity due to not complying asbestos regulations in the UK.
When commenting on the findings, chief executive Bev Messinger said:
“It is unacceptable that 20 years on from asbestos being banned in Britain, organisations are still potentially putting at risk the lives of employees, their families and other members of the public.
“Thousands die in the UK every year from asbestos related cancers like mesothelioma, while many more are diagnosed with it.
“All this is preventable through good occupational safety and health. It is time for organisations to wake up and realise how dangerous asbestos is. There are no excuses.”
The report predicts that there is a long road ahead to remove the threat of asbestos in the UK, with ACM’s being present in an estimated 500,000 properties.
Find out if your property contains asbestos with the help of RB Asbestos!
Did you know that if you are the duty holder of a non-domestic property that was built before the year 2000, you are legally obliged to ensure that there is an asbestos survey in place for this property? Further to that, you are legally required to manage and re-inspect regularly any asbestos present. This is to protect staff and contractors.
If you do not fulfil this duty, you are at risk of facing prosecution by the HSE and falling victim of some potentially catastrophic penalisations.
At RB Asbestos, we have a dedicated, experienced team of asbestos surveyors and compliance experts that can help you identify any threat of asbestos within your properties. We are an independent consultancy who do not complete the asbestos removal procedure; therefore, we have no interest of finding asbestos in your properties.
Our team can provide you with two different asbestos surveys; a management asbestos survey, and a refurbishment/demolition asbestos survey. To find out which option best suits your business, head over to our dedicated asbestos surveys section.
Get in touch with RB Asbestos Consultants today!
For more information on the wide range of asbestos services that we offer here at RB Asbestos, please contact one of our dedicated advisors today.
To talk over your requirements directly with a member of the RB Asbestos team, call us now on 0800 141 2676.
Alternatively if you are unable to contact our team over the phone right now, you can also provide a few quick details and contact us online.
