UNISON is urging branches to support Action Mesothelioma Day on Friday 5 July, to raise awareness of the disease and support those who have been affected by it.
General Secretary Dave Prentis said: “Mesothelioma is a deadly killer and asbestos is still found in many public buildings.
“Employers must take this threat seriously and take every possible step to make sure people are safe at work.”
Asbestos is a hidden killer that can cause Mesothelioma, Asbestos-related lung cancer, Asbestosis and Pleural thickening. The disease is invariably fatal but often does not appear for up to 40 years after exposure to asbestos.
Maintenance workers are those most at risk of exposure to asbestos, and UNISON members can be affected when working for councils and in schools, since 75% of Britain’s state schools contain asbestos.
UNISON is a leading member of the Joint Union Asbestos Committee and fights to protect the rights of victims and their families.
UNISON is asking branches to:
- Raise awareness of the hidden dangers by using the specially developed HSE campaign packs and posters available to download;
- Encourage members to keep a record of any possible exposure to asbestos by adding their details to the UNISON asbestos exposure register;
- Advise members and reps to obtain a copy of the schools asbestos management plan and complete the safety rep’s checklist. Supporting advice on this can be found on the ‘UNISON Asbestos – still a risk’ information sheet and the ‘Asbestos in Schools’ factsheet.
- Recruit and organise members around health, safety and wellbeing issues (for example, asbestos) in the workplace.