32% of UK Builders Exposed to Asbestos Every Week

Posted by Construction Industry News Magazine on 3rd October 2022 -

To mark Mesothelioma Awareness Day (26th September), an event aiming to bring more attention to the dangers of asbestos, ElectricalDirect surveyed trade workers from across the nation to see how often they encounter it, and the impact this has on their health.

The study found that 79% of builders have come across asbestos – the fibre-like material once used for insulation – in their working lives.

This has serious consequences, with 45% having had symptoms of an asbestos-related disease, or knowing a colleague who has. 

Tradespeople are amongst the most at-risk workers of asbestos-related diseases, and across all industries, the majority are exposed to the potentially lethal material on a regular basis. Three in five (60%) find it every year, over a third (35%) say every month, and one in 12 (8%) come face to face with asbestos every day. 

Tragically, one in 20 (5%) know someone who has died of such a condition, and every week, 20 tradespeople deaths are attributed to asbestos. 

Some trades are more likely to be exposed than others, and so should be particularly cautious. Almost every carpenter (95%) questioned had some history with asbestos, and bricklayers (88%) are a close second. 

The trades that are most likely to encounter asbestos are: 

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