The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is drawing up plans to make companies carry out building risk assessments to cut down deaths from asbestos related illnesses. The assessments would become a legal responsibility for companies, and would include the need to manage any risk from asbestos fibres. Building materials would be assumed to contain asbestos unless there is proof to the contrary.
According to Bill Callaghan, Chairman of the HSC, “there are 3,000 deaths a year from asbestos-related diseases, all of which could be prevented."
The HSC advises that a quarter of asbestos related deaths occur in people involved in the building trade such as builders, plumbers and electricians.
A summary of the proposals can be found in .pdf format at the HSC website.
