Latest news on asbestos in the UK
Asbestos news November 2011
Asbestos closes school until February
Discovery of asbestos in dust in the school hall has meant parts of the school will be closed for three months. The absetos is thought to be present in materials in the roof space. More …
Better outlook for women with peritoneal mesothelioma
Women with diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma have a better chance of success with surgery and chemotherapy than their male counterparts.That is the conclusion of researchers at the Baird Institute for Applied Heart and Lung Surgical Research in Sydney, Australia. More …
Hopes for mesothelioma breath test
Researchers from Italy and The Netherlands have developed an “electronic nose” that appears to be able to tell if someone has Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) just from sampling their breath. A report on their study is currently in press but an early issue recently appeared online in the journal Lung Cancer. More …
Waste dumping fears as new owner buys former airfield
The new owener of part of a former airfield site in Worcestershire has a previous conviction for illegal dumping, including asbestos. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) recently sold the land at a substantial loss to the public purse. More …
Substantial payout to ex-railwayman for mesothelioma
An 82 year old former railwayman and union official has received a substantial payouut. he was first exposed to asbestos when he was 16 and a worker at Crewe Railway Works. He is one of many railway workers from Crewe to be exposed to asbestos. More …
Birmingham tradesman fined for asbestos contamination
Whilst refurbishing a flat in Solihull, a tradesman spread asbestos debris from an AIB partition int surrounding areas and his car. He and the tenant were both exposed to asbestos. The debris was spotted by a licensed contractor who alerted HSE. More …
Short video on Canadian asbestos exports to India
A Canadian health expert has described his government as a “purveyor of death” for continuing to export asbestos to India. Asbestos is virtually banned in Canada, but the government is assisting plans to reopen a Quebec mine to export asbestos to India, its biggest customer. More …
Asbestos news October 2011
Lung cancer, asbestos and smoking
HSE has published the 35 years study of lung cancer in asbestos workers. The study confirms that smokers who are exposed to asbestos are at greater risk than non-smokers. As always with statistics about cancer, the figures need to be interpreted carefully.
However, the report does show that just 2% of lung cancer deaths of asbestos workers were people who had never smoked. For those asbestos workers who smoked, an estimated 3% of lung cancer deaths were attributable to asbestos only, 66% to smoking only, and 28% to the interaction of asbestos and smoking. Read the report.
Managing asbestos in schools
HSE has published results of its investigations of schools outside local authority control. HSE say the overall picture is encouraging, but 31% of the 164 schools inspected did not have a written management plan. A total of 41 improvement notices were served on 28 schools with independent schools being the worst offenders. Inadequate training, having no written plan and having no system to manage risk were the main reasons for notices. More …
Prosecution: Swansea workers exposed – no asbestos survey.
A building contractor has been sentenced after its workers were exposed to asbestos fibres during refurbishment work at premises in Swansea. Work at the former Ace Electrics building in The Strand was being carried out without an asbestos survey. More …
Claims for pleural plaques
The Supreme Court has ruled that sufferers of pleural plaques can claim compensation in Scotland after a challenge from the insurance industry. In a 2007 House of Lords Judgement, compensation for pleural plaques was stopped across the whole of the UK. But the Scottish Parliament legislated to change the rules in Scotland. Northern Ireland is likely to do the same. Compensation remains unavailable in England and Wales. More …
Consultation on proposals for the Revised Control of Asbestos Regulations.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is proposing to introduce revised regulations to implement the legislative changes required to comply with the European Commission’s (EC) reasoned opinion which ruled that the UK has not fully implemented a directive concerning the protection of workers from the risks. More …
Marks and Spencer fined £1million
After a 3 month trial, Marks and Spencer plc were fined £1 million and ordered to pay costs of £600,000 after failings in asbestos work at their store in Reading. Other companies involved were also fined: Styles & Wood Limited £100,000 and £40,000 costs; PA Realisations Ltd £200 fine. Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd was fined £50,000 with costs of £75,000 for poor work at the Bournemouth M&S. More …
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Deaths from asbestos related diseases are set to continue rising until 2016