Unions demand 40-year deadline for asbestos removal

A coalition of trade unions representing teachers, hospital staff and other public sector workers have called on the major political parties to remove all asbestos from public buildings within 40 years.

In a letter to the leaders of the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Green Party and the Liberal Democrats, the unions have said their manifestos ahead of the next General Election should include a commitment to remove asbestos from all non-domestic buildings.

The letter states: “Asbestos exposure is still the biggest cause of work-related deaths in Britain. Around 5,000 people are dying each year from asbestos cancers linked to work exposure, including from mesothelioma.

“Asbestos is one of the great workplace tragedies of modern times and it is a national disgrace that Britain has one of the highest mesothelioma mortality rates in the world.”

The letter urges the parties to implement the full recommendations of the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management report, published in 2022.

In particular, the unions want to see a 40-year deadline for the removal of asbestos in non-domestic premises and a central digital register that describes the location and type of asbestos in each building.

Despite being banned from use in 1999, it is thought to still be present in 300,000 non-domestic buildings.

According to the TUC two-thirds of NHS buildings in London and Scotland still contain asbestos.

The report also recommended that the HSE and government develop a plan to remove the “highest risk” asbestos first, including in schools.HSE data showed elevated rates of mesothelioma deaths among women whose last occupation was in education.

“The full implementation of the recommendations within the committee’s report is an essential step on the road to ensuring that schools, hospitals and all public buildings are safe from the blight of this insidious cancer-causing material,” the letter says.

Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary at teaching union NASUWT, said: “It is a national disgrace that increasing numbers of school teachers are dying each year from mesothelioma, the deadly lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

“Political parties must prioritise the safety of teachers and pupils and commit to a national strategy to remove this deadly substance from the 81% of school buildings that still contain asbestos, and from all public buildings.”

Rhys Martin, health and safety policy officer at the Society of Radiographers, said: “Alongside working with our trade union colleagues on this campaign and providing training to our safety representatives to help hold employers to account, we continue to organise Freedom of Information requests to gain a greater understanding of the depth of asbestos issues in the NHS estate.

“We also continue to work with Mesothelioma UK and experts from the University of Sheffield to create visibility around this key health and safety issue.”

Other unions that have signed the letter include the GMB, Unite, PCS and the Royal College of Midwives.