The Hidden Killer Campaign

20th January 2010

More than 35,000 Britons died from mesothelioma, an asbestos related disease, between 1977 and 2007 according to a report recently published by the HSE.

With this annual rate of deaths on the increase safety campaigners have warned today that this asbestos risk can not be written off as a ‘20th century problem’.

The HSE report found that approximately a quarter of the 4000 victims working in buildings constructed or refurbished before 2000 containing the deadly substance asbestos were tradesmen working in the plumbing, electronics and decorations industry.

Steve Coldrick, HSE’s asbestos programme director is quoted in the report as saying ‘Sadly there is nothing we can do to stem the tragic loss of workers who were exposed to asbestos in years gone by.

‘But we can listen to their stories, and the one thing we hear time and again from older workers is that they were never told about the risks of working with asbestos.

‘With this campaign we can educate today’s workforce about the risks and what action they need to take to protect themselves from this deadly dust.’

This month the Hidden Killer Campaign will be re launched to bring awareness of the risks involved in dealing with asbestos to workers. The campaign will be backed by a £1.2 million fund which will be aiming to reduce the amount of deaths caused by this harmful substance.

To read the report in full visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/index.htm