The only cure for asbestos related death is prevention; make sure you know how

Dear Sirs,

The only cure for asbestos related death is prevention; make sure you know how

As General Manager of The UK Asbestos Training Association I was heartened to read the story of a North Kent man who had joined forces with the National Asbestos Helpline following the death of his father at the hands of the toxic killer. Phil Shepherd, from Gravesend, vowed to raise awareness of the dangers of the substance after his father Brian passed away as the result of malignant mesothelioma, caused by asbestos.

Brian, who had been a carpenter all of his life, inhaled the dust at work and would come home unknowingly covered in the substance before the full deadly dangers of it were widely known. Unfortunately, even today, the only cure for mesothelioma is prevention and we need to make sure that unlike Brian, the tradesmen of this generation are armed with the knowledge to keep them safe from the substance.

Many buildings built prior to the year 2000 still house deadly asbestos. If you work in an environment where you may come into contact with asbestos or have to handle it on a daily basis then you need training. Your readers can go to www.ukata.org.uk to find one of over a 170 registered training providers throughout the UK and ensure that it isn’t asbestos that eventually takes their life.

Yours faithfully,

Craig Evans
General Manager, UKATA

ENDS

Original Source

Kent Online; 8 November, 2014
Family of Phil Shepherd fight for awareness of mesothelioma after carpenter’s death from industrial asbestos disease
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/familys-warning-after-mans-asbestos-26622/

Notes to editors
UKATA sets standards in asbestos training and ensures all approved training providers meet those high standards. For a full directory of UKATA members please visit the UKATA website, www.ukata.org.uk

Photograph and caption:
Craig Evans, General Manager of UKATA (The UK Asbestos Training Association).

Media contact:
Jon Gardner
BeyondPR
Mobile: 07930 697773
DDI: 0114 275 6996

REF: UKATA00161 – Gravesend Man