HSE has refreshed its guidance on asbestos to help you protect yourself and your workers. See this ebulletin on the 6th December 2023. Changes include simplified navigation, removal of outdated content and replaced with refreshed guidance. This covers an introduction to asbestos, duty to manage asbestos in buildings, a worker's guide to asbestos safety and locations of asbestos.

Asbestos management is an issue faced by property owners and managers (the clients), whether owning/managing one premises or a large portfolio of premises, constructed prior to the year 2000. That is, they are responsible for ensuring that employees and non-employees are not exposed to health or safety risks as a result of the presence of asbestos.

An effective way to help you manage asbestos in premises that were constructed before the year 2000 in the UK, an asbestos survey provides accurate information on the location, amount and type of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in your property. Either known to contain asbestos or presumed to contain asbestos, ACMs could be damaged or disturbed during every day activities, maintenance or the installation of new equipment within the building.

Found in many buildings throughout the UK, from schools and hospitals to residential homes, asbestos is a dangerous carcinogenic that has been widely used in building materials due to its fire and chemical resistant properties. Found in areas such as insulation materials for pipes and furnaces, siding and roof tiles, soundproofing applications and some floor tiles, asbestos is generally safe if left undisturbed...

There was a ray of hope for many mesothelioma sufferers this year, when newspapers revealed that a revolutionary vaccine had provided positive results following a trial in the US. Indeed, 94 per cent of the 38 mesothelioma patients involved in the trial responded to the ground-breaking drug, which has been designed to use the body’s own immune system to battle the asbestos-related disease. Furthermore, 86 per cent of patients saw a significant shrinking in the size of their tumours, with 60 per cent of tumours reduced by more than 30 per cent.

Not only was it a return to school for children and teachers this September, but it was also highly likely to be a return to a building that contains asbestos for many of them. With more than 75 per cent of the 33,600 schools in England containing asbestos/asbestos containing materials (ACMs), much of which is poorly maintained

Following the UK Asbestos Trading Association’s (UKATA) successful Train Safe, Work Safe, Keep Safe campaign in 2015, which saw tradesmen benefit from hours of free asbestos safety training, the campaign for 2016 is now underway. Forming part of UKATA’s continued commitment to providing clarity on the importance of using a competent training provider, the campaign also focuses on the HSE’s belief that workers and supervisors alike must be trained appropriately to ensure they are not only able to recognise ACMs, but also know how to handle encountering asbestos in a safe and careful manner.

Much like in the US, the UK has developed an increasing interest in watching reality TV shows, from The Only Way is Essex to Come Dine With Me, we are a nation of reality TV addicts. Alongside the segments of real life soap opera and cooking is the home improvement arena, which includes TV shows based on home buying, selling and renovation of a property. Although interesting and helpful when it comes to gaining tips, watching programmes such as DIY SOS and Grand Designs unfortunately does not lead to expert knowledge in the refurbishment, remodelling or buying of a home.

The 7th June 2016 was National Cancer Survivor's day, an annual celebration for those who have survived the disease, as well as an inspiration for those who have been recently diagnosed, that takes place in communities around the world.

With the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Occupational Health and Safety highlighting in 2015 that 500,000 commercial properties and one million homes contain some form of asbestos containing materials (ACMs), it is estimated by the HSE that over one million tradespeople are at risk of coming into contact with asbestos while at work.

Following reports of a number of cases in which asbestos was either removed incorrectly or improperly disposed of, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) released a reminder on best practice during handling of asbestos and what to do should the best laid plans fail during a project.

There have been a number of strange news stories involving asbestos over recent weeks, which have further shown the lack of information and protection provided to workers against the dangerous material over the last 50 years. For example, UK tabloids told of a woman who recently died after receiving hugs and kisses from her asbestos-covered husband when he came home from work covered in the toxic dust.

Caused by past exposure to asbestos, mesothelioma incidence rates have increased significantly in the UK since the early 2000s and correlate with the rise and fall of asbestos use and exposure in the 20th century.

Despite the wealth of information available and the regulations and legislation that should be adhered to, there are many companies in the asbestos industry that still take an ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach when it comes to removing asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACMs) from properties.

Although the first mass circulated report of an asbestos worker’s death took place in 1924, it is apparent that there is still confusion surrounding the health risks of asbestos and asbestos containing materials.