Asbestos Illness

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a silicate mineral that can be woven into materials such as the insulation in buildings. When these materials are disturbed, the fibres that are released into the air can be inhaled and unfortunately may cause serious lung diseases to develop. The diseases may take a long time develop but they are usually serious and often fatal.

Some of the main diseases caused by asbestos poisoning are:

• Lung cancer (asbestos-related)
• Mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs)
• Asbestosis (lung scarring condition)
• Thickening of the lung pleura (Pleural thickening) causing chest pain and shortness of breath

Employees Responsibilities

It is an employee’s responsibility to comply with any management plans relating to asbestos and strictly adhere to all training and controls provided. If you come across potential asbestos whilst working, work should be stopped immediately and a risk assessment carried out. If you feel your employer is not implementing the appropriate controls, you can report your concerns to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Employers should carry out various tasks to ensure the safety of their workers is not compromised, some of these tasks include

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires those who either own or have the responsibility (the tenants) for a non-domestic building to manage asbestos present in the building. The duty to manage does not apply to domestic buildings except for communal areas. Those responsible for a non-domestic building are responsible for:

• Assessing for the presence and condition of asbestos
• Keeping an up to date record of all findings and locations
• Managing the presence appropriately including documenting the risk of exposure

Employers responsibilities:

1. Risk assessments

• Access the information supplied by the non-domestic building tenant to be able to accurately assess a job for asbestos exposure risks
• Assess whether the type and condition of asbestos requires a licensed contractor to work with it
• Accurately convey this information to everyone involved and have controls in place to appropriately and safely manage the job
• Report any accidental release of asbestos fibres during a work activity which could cause damage to someone’s health to RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013)

2. Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• There are very strict guidelines with regards to the PPE that should be worn for potentially asbestos exposing tasks
• These include the use of disposable overalls, gloves, footwear and respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

3. Provide the correct training to employees

• Any employees likely to be exposed to asbestos during their work require the correct instruction, information and training. This is a legal duty for employers
• This involves: asbestos awareness training, training for non-licensable asbestos work, training for licensable asbestos work, and how to deal with emergencies

How Can Injury Lawyers UK Help?

Injury Lawyers UK has over 20 years of experience in this field. We have a team of qualified lawyers who specialise in bringing claims against employers who have failed in the duty of care to protect employee health and safety.

We know just how devastating a serious or terminal illness can be. At a time when you need to concentrate on your health and your family, Injury Lawyers UK take the stress out of the legal process. We only ever use clear and plain English so you never feel overwhelmed by confusing legal jargon and we ensure your understanding throughout the process.

We operate a no win, no fee policy meaning that you do not have to pay us a fee unless we are successful in securing compensation. We always aim to get you 100% of the compensation you are claiming for so that you get the justice you deserve.