Sheffield Asbestos Conference To Take Place On 25 October

As the UK prepares to mark the 20^th anniversary of the ban on white asbestos in November, a conference has been arranged in Sheffield as HSE figures reveal that deaths from a substance dubbed the ‘silent killer’ remain at crisis levels.

Taking place at the Showroom Cinema, on Paternoster Row, Sheffield on Friday 25 October between 9.30am and 3.00pm, a series of speakers will highlight the dangers of asbestos.

The event will include a screening of the gripping film, Breathless, which sees filmmaker Daniel Lambo set off on a passionate quest to find the truth about the deadly asbestos industry, following the deaths of his father and many others from his village.

Daniel’s search takes him to the largest asbestos waste dump in India and unveils a cold blooded industry, still endangering the lives of workers and consumers around the world. A joint venture between the South Yorkshire Asbestos Victims Support Group (SARAG) and Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team (DAST), the event is free for Trade Union members.

This special awareness raising event is supported by Irwin Mitchell. The firm has been handling asbestos-related disease cases for over 35 years and is a leading firm in this specialist area, having worked on some of the biggest landmark cases that have led directly to changes in the law.

The firm also continues to support local people whose lives have been devastated by the consequences of asbestos exposure and by raising money for charities such as Weston Park Cancer Charity, Mesothelioma UK and SARAG.

As the nation marks 20 years since the ban on white asbestos came into force in 1999, an event highlighting the ongoing danger has never been more relevant, with deaths from Asbestos related disease still claiming over 5,000 lives a year in the UK.

Expert Opinion

"The 20th anniversary of the final asbestos ban is a time to remind everyone the dangers posed by this killer substance has not gone away. Asbestos is sometimes seen as a thing of the past but it is very much a clear and present danger.

The public, tradesmen and contractors alike are still not very aware of situations which may give rise to asbestos exposure and the cases we are dealing with reveal the tragic consequences of past exposures, often many decades ago.

My colleagues and I remain passionate about making sure sufferers and their families get the justice and support they deserve. We have taken cases to the Supreme Court which have helped change the law in respect of employers obligations to their workforce and the wider public.

There is estimated to be six million tonnes of asbestos in the UK, most in buildings, factories and domestic dwellings. Any building constructed before 1980 for example, may contain asbestos.

The majority of hospitals, schools and universities still contain asbestos, which is a particular concern, because children have susceptibility at a young age if they are exposed to asbestos. All asbestos is dangerous, regardless of colour and there is no safe level of exposure, with regard to asbestos dust.”
Adrian Budgen - National Head of Asbestos and Occupational Disease

The conference will be held at the Showroom Cinema in Sheffield on Friday 25 October between 9.30am and 3pm. To book a place or to find out more, please contact SARAG on 01709 360 672.