Asbestos exposure statistics show need for action
The TUC who recently published their guide for union workplace representatives, are now calling for greater action from industry as a new HSE Report notes a continuing increase in deaths from mesothelioma.
The TUC have shared the report on deaths from mesothelioma, relating to Health and Safety Statistics recently published by the Health and Safety Executive. According to the TUC who represent more than 5.8 million workers in 51 unions, most people have probably never heard of mesothelioma unless they know of someone who has suffered from it, but it is a form of cancer of the external lining of the lung. It is caused by exposure to asbestos and it is invariably fatal.
What the HSE report shows is that, for the third year running, the number of deaths from mesothelioma has been over 2,500 and this level is likely to continue for at least the rest of the decade. Annual deaths in Britain increased steeply over the last 50 years, a consequence of mainly occupational asbestos exposures that occurred because of the widespread industrial use of asbestos during 1950 – 1980. Hidden Killer Asbestos Dust
The TUC is calling for new legislation requiring all employers to address the issue by doing a full survey of all asbestos in the workplace by no later than 2022, and then ensuring the removal of all asbestos by 2035. In the case of public buildings and educational establishments, this should be done by 2028. Meanwhile, the TUC are urging Employers to take action now by publishing a negotiating guide on how to try to eradicate asbestos in the workplace. You can read it here:
Recent Comments