HSE launches "Asbestos - Your Duty" Campaign
The HSE has this week launched a campaign highlighting legal responsibilities for asbestos management.
The new campaign focuses on keeping people safe from asbestos, particularly in workplaces, schools and hospitals.
Asbestos Awareness Training
"Asbestos - Your Duty" aims to improve understanding of what the legal duty to manage asbestos involves. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging those with responsibilities for buildings to ensure they comply with the law to prevent exposure to the deadly substance, which was used extensively in post-war construction before being completely banned in 1999.
Sarah Albon, HSE's Chief Executive said:
"To keep people safe from the harms of asbestos, a culture of safely managing asbestos is needed in our building industry and among those responsible for buildings."
“Asbestos exposure in Great Britain is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths due to exposures decades ago. Together, we must protect people in the workplace and reduce future work-related ill health.”
The legal duty to manage asbestos covers a wide range of buildings such as museums, schools and hospitals, as well as workplaces like offices and factories.
Businesses and organisations must carry out all the necessary checks, and have a full understanding of their legal responsibilities, if they are responsible for premises constructed pre-1999. Asbestos use was at its peak between 1950 and 1980.
The HSE provides updated information, advisory videos, and templates to assist organisation in fulfilling their legal duties. These tools can be found on HSE's website
