HSE has launched a new campaign to highlight the risk of asbestos in buildings and raise awareness of the legal duty to manage those risks.
Asbestos can become dangerous when disturbed or damaged. However, people who work in or visit buildings containing asbestos will not be exposed to asbestos if it is properly managed.
HSE’s 'Asbestos – Your Duty' campaign targets those responsible for managing asbestos in the building (dutyholders).
The dutyholder could be the building owner, the landlord for the premises, the business owner, or the person or organisation with clear responsibility for the building's maintenance or repair.
A few simple questions can help identify if you have a legal duty to manage asbestos.
The duty to manage asbestos ensures workers and building users are protected from the risks of exposure to asbestos.
To support dutyholders, HSE recently updated their web pages and provided a range of resources.
Asbestos - where it hides
Asbestos is the greatest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. Around 5,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases which typically take decades to develop and cannot be cured.
HSE have designed posters and diagrams to raise awareness of asbestos-related health risks. They aim to inform workers of the most common locations asbestos can be found in industrial and residential buildings. Whether you are a worker, building owner, landlord, employer or person responsible for building maintenance, you should be aware of where asbestos is most frequently found in buildings in order to protect yourself and others.
You can view and download these useful diagrams here.
