UK's Leading Asbestos Association ARCA Backs the HSE Campaign on Asbestos Awareness

ARCA is backing the HSE's 'Asbestos Kills' Campaign, which launched nationally this week.

(PRWEB) October 31, 2008 -- ARCA is backing the HSE's 'Asbestos Kills' Campaign, which launched nationally this week. The national campaign follows the HSE pilot campaign in the North West region in March to influence tradesmen and prevent their inadvertent exposure to asbestos at work.

Aimed predominately at plumbers and electricians the HSE's campaign 'Asbestos the hidden killer' highlights the message to these general trades that unless they take necessary precautions asbestos could kill them. Recent research conducted by the HSE revealed that plumbers and electricians know of the dangers of asbestos but do not feel personally at risk.

With over 4,000 people a year dying of asbestos, more than those in road traffic accidents, it is feared that the UK is in the middle of an epidemic with deaths likely to rise to 5,000 a year. Contributing to these figures are the deaths of twenty tradesmen per week after simply breathing in asbestos fibres whilst going about their day to day work.

In support of the campaign ARCA will be promoting specific asbestos awareness training courses. The courses are aimed at those trades who come into contact with asbestos during their daily work activity such as plumbers and electricians. The courses are tailored to each specific trade and will enable individuals to take the appropriate action should they encounter materials which they suspect to be asbestos.

The course comprises of five core modules: What is asbestos? The health effects of asbestos, Asbestos in buildings, Legislation (industry and trade specific) and the asbestos removal process and is hoped to prevent further deaths of asbestos exposure in the plumbing and electrical trades.

"We fully support the HSE's campaign to highlight the dangers of asbestos in the workplace, we hope that by offering tradesmen the opportunity to learn about the precautions they need to make, it will result in a better understanding and awareness of the dangers of asbestos and in the long run reduce the number of deaths due to asbestos exposure." Said Satish Patel ARCA's Training Manager.

For further information on ARCA' Asbestos Awareness Training please visit: www.arca.org.uk/training/index.asp

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