Asbestos is responsible for the deaths of around twenty tradesman in the UK every week and is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the country. In fact, roughly 5,000 workers a year are killed by the substance.
In 2014, the asbestos-caused mesothelioma accounted for two per cent of all cancer deaths in the UK, making it the 16th most common cause of cancer death for that year. In 2013, there were seven new cases of mesothelioma for every 100,000 males and one for every 100,000 females in the UK.
If you or one of your close family members are among the tens of thousands of people in the country who have been affected by an asbestos-related illness, contact Thompsons’ asbestos claims solicitors today for information and advice regarding your possible right to compensation.
Joiner and Carpenter Exposure in the UK – A National Scandal
Asbestos was commonly used in the UK until it was banned for all uses – with only the most rare exceptions – in 1999. However, the legacy of the substance is still felt and frequently causes heartache and devastation in families and communities across the country.
In fact, one in ten of the of the thousands of carpenters and joiners who worked in the United Kingdom during the 1960s will die as a result of an asbestos-related illness – most typically mesothelioma. Tragically, it did not have to be this way; many of the country’s leading industry figures knew of the fatal potential of asbestos, yet, astoundingly, they did nothing about it.
For example, in 1918 it was common practice for insurance companies to deny life insurance policies to workers who were known to have experienced workplace asbestos exposure, while in 1942 researchers reported that the prevalence of lung cancer among workers in a wide variety of trades - including carpenters and joiners - was most probably caused by asbestos. Then, seven years later the Encyclopaedia Britannica listed asbestos as a major cause of occupational cancer.
In short, it was nothing less than a scandal that asbestos continued to be used in the UK into the latter part of the twentieth century. In fact, during the 60s and 70s, nearly all building sites were riddled with asbestos, with carpenters and joiners among the building site workers who suffered the most exposure.
The Statistical Risk
One study, reported in the British Journal of Cancer in March 2009, shows that men born in the 1940s who worked as carpenters or joiners for more than decade before the age of 30 have a one in 17 chance of developing mesothelioma – the most devastating of all asbestos cancers.
This is higher even than the risk for construction workers, which stands at one in 125. And with the UK’s mesothelioma rate the highest in the world, carpenters and joiners in this country, as well as their families, have every right to seek compensation for the workplace exposure they suffered.
Carpenters and Joiners Today
Nowadays, employers have an obligation to ensure provision of adequate asbestos training, personal protective equipment and additional specialist asbestos welfare facilities. And the threat has by no means dissipated. Any building constructed or refurbished before the mid 1980’s may contain asbestos. As such, employers have an obligation to ensure that asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are mitigated to prevent all possible exposure to asbestos.
Furthermore, any ACM, whether asbestos insulation board, asbestos coatings or asbestos insulation should be removed by a specialist licensed contractor. All breaches of health and safety law should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
Thompsons – Scotland’s Leading Personal Injury Firm
Thompsons’ asbestos claims solicitors in Scotland are dedicated to ensuring justice for those who have suffered as a result of the tragic legacy of asbestos – both workers and their bereaved families. If you or someone you love is suffering from an asbestos-related disease, we can help you claim the maximum possible compensation for your pain and losses. For more information call us today on 0800 0891331.
