A coalition of unions has called for the removal of asbestos from all public buildings within the next 40 years.
Unions representing more than four million workers wrote to political party leaders to ask them to include in their general election manifestos a policy to remove asbestos from non-domestic properties. The unions contacted the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.
The proposed policy conforms to aa call of the Work and Pensions Committee of the Parliament last year.
The letter says: “Exposure to asbestos remains the leading cause of work-related death in Britain. Around 5,000 people die each year from work-related asbestos cancers, including mesothelioma .
“Asbestos is one of the great occupational tragedies of modern times and it is a national shame that Britain has one of the highest death rates from mesothelioma in the world.”
In addition to the deadline, the letter also seeks to create a digital record of all asbestos in non-domestic buildings, which would include a description of its location and type.
A request on Parliament’s website calling for the same measures recently received more than 10,000 signatures and prompted a response from the government, which said there was no clear evidence that the measures would improve health outcomes.
Patrick Roach, general secretary of teachers’ union NASUWT, said: “It is a national disgrace that every year increasing numbers of school teachers die from mesothelioma, the deadly lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.
“Political parties must prioritize the safety of teachers and students, and commit to a national strategy to remove this deadly substance from the 81% of school buildings that still contain asbestos and from all public buildings.”
Rhys Martin, head of health and safety policy at the Society of Radiographers, said: “We will be working hard on this campaign in the run-up to the next general election, where we hope the political parties will end this legacy in our public buildings.”
The The letter has been signed by 27 unionsincluding the Royal College of Midwives, National Education Union and NASUWT.
The government’s response to the petition calling for the measures said: “The government recognizes the devastating impact asbestos-related disease has on those who have been exposed and their families. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that the legacy asbestos risk in Britain is managed effectively.
“We are not opposed to any measures to better manage the risk of asbestos exposure. However, there needs to be clear evidence to show how responding to both recommendations would improve health outcomes.”
He added that the Asbestos Control Regulations 2012 already require owners or those responsible for the maintenance and repair of buildings to assess whether asbestos is present and in what condition it is, and to draw up a plan to manage- or delete it securely. .
He said: “Research studies over several decades agree that the type of invasive and destructive work associated with asbestos removal results in the greatest release of asbestos fibers and the greatest risk of exhibition
“As such, the government could only advocate for more proactive removal of asbestos from buildings if there is convincing evidence that the increased exposure of workers removing asbestos is justified in terms of reduced risk to users of the building. Currently, the evidence is not there.”
