HSE predicts more than 2,500 mesothelioma Deaths every year for the rest of the decade

Expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have called for significant improvements in the way asbestos is monitored, managed and handled after new statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed there more than 5,000 deaths from asbestos-related diseases in 2013.

The report indicated 2,538 mesothelioma deaths, and a similar number of lung cancer deaths caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace in the UK in 2013.

According to the HSE, the latest projections suggest there will be around 2,500 deaths per year from mesothelioma for the rest of this current decade before annual numbers begin to decline.

Geraldine Coombs, a Partner and expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office, said: “The HSE has been working hard in recent years to reduce the number of people being exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

“Sadly though, many of the cases of mesothelioma currently being recorded were exposed to asbestos decades ago and are just now beginning to see the impact on their health. We continue to be instructed by hundreds of people each year whose lives have been turned upside down by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

“Many older buildings, including hospitals and schools, still contain asbestos and, while the risk is relatively low if the material is not disturbed, the consequences can be devastating for those who inhale the fibres when they are released into the air.

“Our work shows it is not just people who work in heavy industry that are affected – many public sector workers such as teachers and health care professionals have developed mesothelioma simply by breathing the air at work. Therefore it is vital the latest HSE statistics act as a catalyst to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos exposure as well as improving the way the material is monitored, managed and removed.

“Employers have a duty to protect their workers and we hope that everything possible will be done to prevent any further unnecessary deaths.”

Rochdale was the home of the biggest asbestos company in the country with a large factory complex in Spodden Valley, Rochdale.