Managing and working with asbestos.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. It can be caused by breathing in asbestos fibres and it affects the thin, protective membrane around the lungs.
After coming into contact with asbestos fibres it can take up to 50 years for symptoms to develop. There is currently no cure for mesothelioma – it is a terminal disease.
Watch Simon's Story: living with an Asbestos-related disease.
Most buildings that were built before the millennium may contain asbestos in some form.
There is a greater risk of exposure to asbestos fibres for people working in refurbishment, renovation, demolition, and repairs and maintenance, if proper control methods are not in place.
If you are working on a building that could contain asbestos, you should:
People responsible for the repair, maintenance, and management of buildings that may contain asbestos are required to carry out an appropriate survey (usually a management survey).
The purpose of a management survey is to locate and confirm the extent of any asbestos-containing materials, which could be damaged or disturbed by daily work (such as normal occupancy and building maintenance).
Survey information should then be made available (through an asbestos register) to all employers whose workers could be exposed to affected areas.
A more intrusive survey must be completed before the refurbishment or demolition of a building containing asbestos.
Appropriate steps can then be taken to safely encapsulate or remove the material.
More information on working safely and managing the risks from asbestos is available from the Health and Safety Executive.
The film is also available to watch and share on CITB's YouTube channel.
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