Deadly legacy

April 2nd 2024

A quarter of a century on from the banning of asbestos use in the construction industry its deadly legacy still claims over 5,000 UK lives a year.

So Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2024 is an important opportunity to continue to ensure vigilance amongst the public and those whose job it is to manage the safety of buildings.

Organised by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and running from April 1-7^th, the focus of the week this year is on prevention, encapsulated by the motto: “Hear Asbestos. Think Prevention.”

During the week, organisations, support groups, medical professionals, and individuals unite to inform others about the risks associated with asbestos exposure, share information about asbestos-related diseases, and promote measures to prevent exposure.

In the UK, use of asbestos by the construction industry has been banned in new builds since 1999 however it is estimated that it still exists in hundreds of thousands non-domestic buildings including schools, hospitals and council offices.

Left undisturbed it is safe, however exposure during renovation or demolition can allow asbestos fibres to escape into the air and pose a severe long term health risk. Asbestos-caused diseases such as asbestosis or mesothelioma are still estimated to be the cause of over 5,000 deaths a year in the UK.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health wants to use the week to address significant concern at the lack of consistency in managing asbestos among duty holders and a lack of awareness and knowledge among those coming into contact with it, particularly in smaller businesses.

In order to prevent the accidental release of fibres it is now a legal obligation to have an asbestos management plan in place if work is being carried out in any UK building that dates back prior to the banning of asbestos.

At Eton Environmental Group, We provide a range of asbestos services to help businesses meet their legal duty to safely manage any asbestos containing materials which may be present in their buildings.

We are fully accredited by UKAS to ISO17020 to conduct asbestos surveys in management, refurbishment and demolition as well as a wide range of other asbestos-related services.

If you wish to speak to us about any of our asbestos services, please email or call 01325 366886 for a chat and free no-obligation quote. You can also fill out the enquiry form on the website.