Advice from the HSE is that if asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it cannot be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Those responsible for managing building maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings have a duty to inform tradesmen if asbestos is present in a building they are working in.

Depending on the type of asbestos-containing material, and providing they have been trained and the proper controls are in place, they may be able to work on the project. Asbestos sprayed coatings, board or lagging on pipes and boilers should only be tackled by licensed workers.
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Asbestos may have been banned long ago, but it's dangers are still very real today. Many people continue dying every year because of it. Something needs to be done.

The director of the Disease Reduction Programme for the HSE, said:

“Exposure to asbestos is the biggest single cause of work-related deaths with around 4,000 people a year dying from asbestos-related disease.

“The overall number of deaths is rising because a large number of workers who have already been exposed to asbestos dust around 40 years ago will go on to develop mesothelioma, a terminal cancer or other asbestos-related diseases.”

“They think that since asbestos was banned many years ago, the problem has been dealt with. The reality is very different.”

Even today asbestos presents a real and relevant risk to plumbers, joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers. Asbestos may be present in any building constructed or refurbished before 2000. It is estimated that around 500,000 non-domestic buildings could contain asbestos.
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Every year, two million workers die of occupational causes, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). Seventy-five per cent of these preventable deaths are due to work-related disease. Of these diseases, cancer is the biggest killer. The single largest contributor to this work-related cancer epidemic is exposure to asbestos, causing 100,000 to 140,000 deaths annually worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that between 5 and 10 million people will ultimately die from asbestos-related diseases.

Historically, Canada has been one of the world’s leading sources of chrysotile asbestos, the most common variety.

Used in thousands of products for its heat-resistance, its insulating properties and its strength, over 300 million tonnes of asbestos have been mined in the last century.

Most common uses of asbestos have been banned since the 1980s, but today it is used primarily in cement materials manufactured and used in developing countries.
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