The HSE estimate that up to 4000 people a year die from Asbestos related illnesses. That includes 20 tradesmen a week  -  approximately 8 joiners, 6 electricials and 4 plumbers die every week and many people are still unaware of the risks they face daily.  In the North East alone 1,446 people have died from mesothelioma (Asbestos related cancer.)   It can be hard to appreciate the danger when it might take 40 years to have an have an effect.

Up to nine million UK homes and one and a half million workplace properties have some form of asbestos. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are currently running a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of Asbestos. They estimate that Asbestos is the UK’s biggest cause of occupational deaths. The TUC estimate that 5000 people per year die from Asbestos related illnesses and expect this to rise to 10,000 per year (twice as many as road deaths.)

If your organisation has staff working on properties built or refurbished before the year 2000 then Asbestos Awareness training is a legal requirement. If you have tradesmen working on your business premises then it’s also a legal requirement that you inform them where asbestos is and it’s condition before they start work. (Further training may also be required depending on the type of job being carried out.)

 So, on that cheery note we’ll be giving away one Asbestos Awareness course every week in October completely free of charge in support of the HSE’s Asbestos Training Pledge.  The e-learning course and assessment is all done online and will take about 2 hours to complete. You can study wherever and whenever you like and all you’ll need is access to the internet.

We’ll choose one person each week to receive the free course so if you’d like be in with a chance to get free Asbestos training email us at mail@flowlearning.co.uk with “Free Asbestos course” in the subject line. Please note that we can’t make any guarantees and places are limited but you’ve got to be “in it to win it”

Take a look at these resources for more information on Asbestos:

 HSE’s Hidden Killer campaign leaflet:

What is Asbestos (HSE)

Asbestos: Do you know the facts (HSE)

Asbestos Related Diseases (North East Asbestos Support Group – NASAG)

Guide to Asbestos Regulations for Safety Representatives (jointly produced by TUC & HSE)