With construction sites in south east region and the UK as a whole now re-open following lockdown, Asbestos Training Limited has raised concerns about the lack of asbestos training in the construction industry that has been undertaken since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asbestos Training Limited, which is a member of the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has spoken out after the association revealed that the number of construction workers who have undertaken asbestos training since March has steeply declined and is at its lowest level for five years.
Prior to the Corona crisis, nationally an average of 18,000 workers a month completed asbestos training. Over the last six months (March – August), an average of 6,000 workers a month undertook asbestos training delivered by the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA)-approved training providers, a fall of more than 66%.
Graham O'Mahony Managing Director commented:
"Our concern is that health and safety training is being overlooked as construction sites push to make up for time lost during the lockdown. This not only increases construction workers’ risk of exposure to deadly asbestos but also the buildings' users.
Asbestos-related health issues, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma, are not identified immediately after exposure to asbestos. It takes between 15 years and up to 60 years before deadly asbestos-related diseases present themselves.
The latency period of asbestos, coupled with a substantial drop in training numbers, could mean that the UK will be facing a greater amount of deaths from asbestos over the next 15 – 60 years. To reduce this risk, it is important that delivery of asbestos training returns to pre-Covid levels.”
Deaths from asbestos exposure have increased dramatically in the last 15 years after widespread use between 1950s and 70s. Since 2018, there have been more than 5,000 deaths annually in the UK from asbestos-related cancers - the largest single industrial killer ever seen in the UK.
The HSE recommends that asbestos refresher training courses should be undertaken to help ensure knowledge of asbestos awareness is maintained. The asbestos regulations also make it clear that asbestos training for non-licensable and licensable asbestos works should be carried out at least annually.
Graham O’Mahony further added:
“It is now vitally important that all construction employers and workers ensure that all asbestos training is up-to-date. These are difficult times, but this is a matter of life or death.”
To ensure asbestos training continues to be accessible during the pandemic, UKATA approved its 200-member companies and individuals to deliver asbestos courses by video conference technology.
Asbestos Training Limited is an approved member of UKATA and is now fully operational delivering asbestos training courses by Face to Face both In House and at their UKATA Approved Training Centre, utilising Video Conference Technology and by their AWARD WINNING E-Learning. To find out more or to book your training visit www.asbestostraininglimited.co.uk call 01763 787150 or email info@asbestostraininglimited.com