As Asbestos Awareness Week (1-7 April) draws to a close, the campaign received impetus from US news that the dust cloud released after the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11 hit New York with an estimated 400 tons of asbestos and could ultimately kill more than the 2,753 murdered on the day. The UK has followed a similar policy to legacy asbestos as the US, where the substance is left in situ unless it poses an immediate threat. This matters because we have all failed to take into account the risk of asbestos fibres being released or disturbed unexpectedly: a terrorist strike is an extreme example, when a gas explosion or a fire could deliver a similar result. I was working with a local company removing asbestos from the Twin Towers in 1988-89, supplying them with portable decontamination systems. We could not remove all of it, as it was part of the fabric of the buildings. With asbestos present in 70% of UK buildings, we face a similar dilemma. It is not feasible to remove it all because this would mean removing the building too. We must ensure people have training to recognise the types of asbestos and have plans in place for buildings known to contain dangerous levels of asbestos were it ever released in dust form. Donna Summer attributed her fatal lung cancer to 9/11 dust but as diseases like mesothelioma can take 30 years to develop, she will not be the last victim, as 410,000 New Yorkers could have been exposed. Asbestos remains the biggest cause of work related deaths in the UK and we must do everything we can to make sure this figure does not increase. Only by raising awareness of this hidden killer can we hope to succeed against it. If you have any doubts or concerns about asbestos and need a registered local contractor, visit our website at www.ukata.org.uk for free information and advice, and a list of UKATA members.
Published on Tuesday 3rd June 2014