Asbestos - Ticking Time Bomb

Kevin Curran, general secretary of the GMB trades union, has called on the Government to provide funding to help schools, hospitals and local authorities to identify and deal with asbestos in public buildings. He has warned of an ‘asbestos ticking time bomb’ that could threaten public health and result in the closure of public facilities unless the Government invests in the management of asbestos building materials.

The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 come into force on 21 May 2004. From that date, all owners of non-domestic premises will have a duty to identify and manage any asbestos in their buildings. The new law requires owners to presume asbestos is present unless there is evidence to prove that it is not.

Asbestos is most commonly found in buildings erected or refurbished before 1985, although it may be present in those constructed more recently. Examples of materials that could contain asbestos include pipe and boiler lagging, ceiling tiles and insulation material. There is estimated to be about six million tonnes of asbestos present in an estimated 850,000 buildings in the UK.

According to a report in the British Medical Journal, there are over 1,800 mesothelioma deaths a year in the UK and it is estimated that a total of 4,000 people die each year from asbestos-related diseases.

In October last year, asbestos was discovered at an egg box factory in Norfolk. 200 workers have since been seen by occupational health experts and the factory has been closed since the discovery.

In March this year, more than 370 pupils were sent home from a primary school in Derbyshire after being exposed to asbestos fibres. The asbestos was exposed during work to fit replacement windows.

Mr Jim Guthrie, a former British Gas manager who lives in Edinburgh, was recently awarded £285,000 in compensation after contracting mesothelioma from breathing in asbestos fibres when working as an apprentice joiner in his teens. Mr Guthrie is dying of the disease. The award is one of the highest ever of its type to someone who is still alive.

There is a great deal of useful information on the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

Contact us if you would like individual advice on complying with the new regulations.

The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.