Demand for more asbestos protection

UNIONS have called for greater efforts to protect workers from asbestos, as the extent of exposure and the number of cases continues to grow.

Construction union UCATT said asbestos could be killing up to 10,000 people a year – more than double the official Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates. HSE’s official figure is 4,000 annual deaths. UCATT said: “We think the real toll is over double that. It is a classic working class disease.”

The ATL teachers’ union said that over 400 members had contacted the union about their exposure to asbestos at work.