Why is Asbestos Dangerous?
• Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, this is more than the number of people killed on the road.
• Around 20 tradesman 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.
During groundworks at a site in Shropshire, employees discovered what appeared to be Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs). The team stopped work immediately and waited for us to attend site to assess the materials under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. Due to the nature of the groundwork, it was decided that a specialist licenced contractor would attend site and develop a plan of action to sample and remove the ACMs if required. This was completed the following day in accordance with the regulations.
The groundworks team had completed Asbestos Awareness Training at MBO Safety Services Limited, which gave them the knowledge and ability to understand the requirements of the regulations and to identify potential ACMs.
It is vital that anyone who may disturb ACMs is trained yearly in Asbestos Awareness allowing them to protect lives by knowing what procedures to follow.
Information from: www.hse.gov.uk