The HSE Campaign "The Hidden Killer" was launched as evidence showed that asbestos related deaths were in fact continuing to rise because general maintenace workers, carpenters, electricians, plasterers and roofers were not aware of the dangers from the lethal fibres.
As we continue to deliver asbestos awareness training, the next open course is in Solihull on 15 December, we now hear from the Birmingham Post that asbestos related deaths in our own backyard have risen again this year. The article below states that asbestos related deaths in males has increased once again but the really frightening numbers are the female deaths as working with asbestos is seen as a male dominated profession.
My thoughts on this are that those female deaths will come from one of the following areas:-
- School teachers or caretakers who have, unwittingly, been exposed to asbestos by pinning drawings to classroom notice boards that were made of asbestos or entering a boiler house where lagging has been disturbed.
- Cleaning staff who may have been exposed during their normal work of cleaning offices and work areas.
- Housewives who did nothing more than wash the overalls of their husbands each week not realising that the deadly dust was on the overalls and now in the washing machine and transferred to other clothing. "Take Home" asbestos such as this is a major problem in the USA and we cannot allow it to become a major problem in the UK.
The key to prevention is education of the workforce and the public that "Asbestos Kills" and the only way to protect yourself is to prevent inhalation of the fibres so "WEAR A MASK".
Batman wore a mask to hide his identity, I wear mine to save my life.
Source: Birmingham Post
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