Disturbing hidden asbestos could be fatal, warns the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), following the launch of its new asbestos awareness campaign.

The campaign, which is targeted at Northern Ireland’s 40,000 tradesmen, aims to remind them of the dangers of breathing in asbestos dust and urges them to take sensible and simple precautions to protect themselves and others.

Tradesmen such as plumbers, joiners, and electricians undertaking refurbishment work may unwittingly encounter and disturb asbestos which can still be present in any building constructed before the year 2000. 

Professor Peter McKie, Chairman of the Board of HSENI in launching the campaign said “It is widely recognised that asbestos is a killer. What is less well known is that asbestos is present in many of the buildings in which we live and work. Generally this is not a problem provided it is not disturbed. Therefore through this campaign we want to reach all those tradesmen who are about to undertake maintenance or refurbishment work on any pre 2000 building and ask them to stop and think about the possibility of asbestos being present. The first thing they need to do is ask to see the building’s asbestos register. Only then can they plan their work so that they can be properly protected.”

Carl Stuart from HSENI’s Asbestos Advisory Service explained why a campaign of this kind was required in Northern Ireland, “The HSENI conducted research amongst tradesmen. This alarmingly identified they would rarely ask if a building had been surveyed for asbestos and more than half would continue to work unprotected even though they knew there was asbestos present. These worrying findings point to the importance of a campaign such as this. A campaign that not only sends out simple and clear messages about the serious health implications of continued exposure to potentially deadly asbestos dust but gives workers the knowledge they need to protect themselves and others.”

Dr Delia Skan, HSENI’s Senior Employment Medical Adviser, said, “Each year Northern Ireland sees scores die from past exposure to asbestos dust. These deaths are in the main linked to our industrial past such as shipbuilding. We must not allow another generation to suffer in this way. So I would call on the tradesmen being targeted by this campaign to take heed of the messages and protect themselves and others.”

If asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it cannot be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Those responsible for managing building maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings, have a duty to inform tradesmen if asbestos is present in a building they are working in.

When dealing with asbestos the most important thing to remember is not to work with it, unless you have been trained and have the suitable equipment with which to deal with it safely.

Tradesmen can contact the HSENI to obtain a free asbestos information pack by calling 0800 0320 121 or visiting www.hseni.gov.uk/hiddenkiller. The information pack highlights where asbestos containing materials may be present, what they look like, how they should be dealt with, safety precautions to follow and where to find training.

HBI are licensed to manage, handle and remove Asbestos and provide Asbestos Awareness training for tradesmen and the nominated responsible person within an organisation.