Asbestos remains the largest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, with more than 5,000 fatalities in 2019.
Current estimates by the HSE estimate that asbestos is present in 300,000 non-domestic buildings and in even more homes.
The Work and Pensions Committee warned that risks were likely to escalate as works to meet net zero requirements, disturb ACM’s and as they deteriorate over time.
The committee wants a timeline of 40 years to remove asbestos from all non-domestic buildings, starting with the highest risk locations such as schools.
Simple reliance on a set of regulations which devolve asbestos management to individual duty holders - the building owners or managers responsible for maintenance - will not be good enough, We need a pan-government and 'system-wide' strategy for the long-term removal of asbestos, founded on strong evidence of what is best from a scientific, epidemiological, and behavioural point of view.
The Work and Pensions Committe
