Our Asbestos Awareness online course is designed for employees at all levels who may come into contact with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) during their work.
This course is designed to equip trainees with adequate knowledge, skills and competence to recognise ACMs and avoid disturbing them. It does not qualify trainees to work with ACMs.
Nearly 20 tradespeople die every week due to past asbestos exposure. This adds up to approximately 5,000 fatalities annually – more than the number of people killed each year as a result of road accidents. In 2022, there were 2,257 deaths from mesothelioma and 493 deaths from asbestosis in the UK, a slight decrease from the previous year.
Despite an outright ban, asbestos is still present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000. Disturbing ACMs releases airborne fibres that can lead to respiratory complications and severe illnesses like mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis when inhaled.
Employers must ensure that anyone who may come across asbestos during their work and those supervising them receive adequate information, guidance and training to reduce the risk of exposure. This training must cover:
- Asbestos health risks
- Types, uses and likely locations of ACMs
- Emergency procedures for accidental exposure
- How to avoid disturbing asbestos
Our UKATA Asbestos Awareness course fulfils these training requirements.