The dangers of asbestos have been unknown until relatively recently, when blue and brown asbestos was banned in the UK in 1985. A ban on white asbestos followed some time later, in 1999, with the material prohibited in new buildings – although it may still remain in older buildings and it is best to have a roofer like Bergen County roofing companies come in to make sure that your roof doesn’t have any asbestos. Before this, asbestos awareness training and e learning among companies and workers was very limited.
Today we know that more than 2,400 people in the UK die annually from Mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer known by the Health and Safety Executive as the ‘hidden killer because it can take years for symptoms to develop. Tragically, by the time it is diagnosed, it’s often untreatable and symptoms develop rapidly.
Other equally unpleasant effects of exposure to asbestos are asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening. Asbestosis is a chronic condition that occurs after prolonged exposure to asbestos causes serious scarring of the lung. Pleural thickening usually occurs after heavy exposure to asbestos over a period of time. It can affect one or both lungs and causes the tissue to harden, preventing the lungs from working correctly resulting in discomfort and shortness of breath.
Usually those suffering from asbestos cancer have worked in the construction, engineering shipbuilding, and power generation industries. Asbestos usage became popular during the 1950s, when it was used as an insulator. But with asbestos related diseases, the passage of time has no bearing on whether you could be affected and the number of cases recorded in the UK is set to increase over the next 30 years.
The Mesothelioma Act
A new fund set up to end what ministers call “years of injustice” aims to compensate those affected in a much fairer way. Until now, victims and their families were only entitled to claim damages up to around £20,000 under two pieces of legislation that provided for asbestos cases.
But in January 2014, the Mesothelioma Act was passed, which has established a compensation pot funded by the insurance industry. The Act means that people diagnosed after 25 July 2012 will be entitled to a much greater sum ranging from £115,000 to £123,000 – in line with other injury cases.
The legislation is a sign of progress in the fight for justice for those who shoulder the heavy news that they or their loved ones have been diagnosed with this killer disease. However, families, medical and support organisations want even more investment focused on medical research into Mesothelioma.
Whatever the outcome, asbestos spells trouble both for businesses that don’t provide asbestos awareness training and the people whose lives are affected by the deadly material.
The good news in all of this is that at least asbestos rules and regulations concerning its usage, transportation and disposal will protect future generations from a similar fate as those exposed to asbestos in the past.
Asbestos Awareness Training UK
To ensure that your staff are safe from the dangers of asbestos, it is absolutely vital that businesses large and small know their obligations as concerns asbestos safety and asbestos awareness training.
Asbestos specialists, Natas, deliver asbestos awareness training and asbestos awareness eLearning courses. Their courses are available at nationwide venues as well as in-house.
Natas is an award-winning company that specialises in Asbestos Awareness Training and BOHS P402 Asbestos Survey Training and BOHS P405 Asbestos Management.
Protect yourself and your workers from asbestos with top-level asbestos awareness training and competency from Natas.
Book your asbestos awareness course [S1] here or click to find out more about our asbestos awareness eLearning courses.[S2]
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