CART What Is an online asbestos awareness course?
Why Taking an Online Asbestos Awareness Course is so Beneficial.
Asbestos has been an integral part of the UK construction industry since the onset of industrialisation, with its applications spanning various sectors including insulation, roofing, flooring, and fireproofing materials. Its unique properties, such as thermal resistance and durability, made it a popular choice for construction and manufacturing throughout the 20th century. However, as research progressed, the severe health risks linked to asbestos exposure began to come to light, particularly its association with life-threatening diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
These findings have highlighted the critical need for individuals working on older buildings to complete an online asbestos awareness course, especially those involved in construction, renovation, or demolition.
Completing an online asbestos awareness course equips individuals with the knowledge to identify various asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) and avoid potential health hazards associated with asbestos exposure from disturbing ACMs. The Health and Safety Executive mandates this training to ensure workers operate safely and don’t disturb asbestos-containing materials.
Key things an online asbestos awareness course teaches include:
- Recognising ACMs and Reducing Exposure: Identifying everyday asbestos-containing products and understanding which materials, such as textured wall coatings, can only be declared safe from asbestos after testing.
- Understanding the Risks: Providing a comprehensive overview of the health risks associated with asbestos exposure, this section elucidates the long-term consequences, including asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, pleural plaques and lung cancer. Workers gain critical insights into the latency period of these diseases, reinforcing the importance of compliance.
- Legal Compliance: Candidates learn that under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, employers are legally mandated to provide adequate information, instruction, and training related to asbestos awareness for all employees. This obligation underscores the importance of incorporating asbestos awareness into health and safety policies and workplace training programs.
- Awareness for Everyone: Asbestos awareness training extends beyond workers who directly handle asbestos, emphasising that any person who may encounter ACMs during their responsibilities—including maintenance staff, contractors, and even visitors—should be educated on the risks.
- Protecting Everyone: By having knowledge about the dangers of asbestos and methods for safely identifying it, the training plays a crucial role in preventing unintentional exposure. This protects not only those who work with asbestos but also their families and the broader community from potential harm.
Recognising the importance of asbestos awareness is crucial, as disturbing ACMs can lead to significant health hazards, which can cause severe chronic illnesses. Although the effects of asbestos exposure may not be immediately apparent, their ramifications can manifest in life-threatening diseases over time. This understanding is a necessity for individuals taking an online asbestos awareness course.
Why Should You Take an Online Asbestos Awareness Course?
For those who are not already familiar with this material, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of soft, flexible fibres that are resistant to heat, electricity and corrosion. These qualities make asbestos an excellent material for the construction industry. However, the fibrous structure also makes this mineral a threat to health. The tiny fibres of asbestos can get released into the air due to erosion and other processes. This poses a severe risk to health as the floating particles of asbestos can get into your body through inhalation and ingestion. Consequently, these tiny particles get trapped inside the body and stay for a long time, causing different health issues, from inflammation to fatal lung cancers.
According to the Health and Safety Executive,
‘There are around 5,500 asbestos-related deaths every year. That’s 4 times as many annual fatalities as road traffic accidents.’
What is Asbestos Exposure?
Generally, asbestos exposure refers to the possibility of inhaling or ingesting asbestos particles floating in the air. This occurs when asbestos materials erode or get disturbed by other processes, releasing tiny asbestos fibres into the air. Individuals most subject to asbestos exposure include people working in asbestos mines or construction sites handling asbestos products.
Health Risks
Asbestos is dangerous when it gets into your body. It can enter your body mainly through inhalation and ingestion. But you won’t face any immediate effects of asbestos. This is because it takes years to observe the health implications of asbestos after repeated exposure for a long time. It’s important to understand that asbestos rarely leaves your body. The tiny particles accumulate in your body tissues and internal organs. Over time, this causes irritation and inflammation, damaging the person’s body tissues. This can result in some fatal diseases in the worst cases.
Sadly, asbestos contamination can cause severe cancer and non-cancerous diseases. The most common type is Mesothelioma, a cancer which occurs in the lining of the lungs and abdomen. However, asbestos can also cause other cancers such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer and laryngeal cancer. The non-cancerous diseases caused by asbestos are:
Subsequently, asbestos awareness is crucial to avoiding these fatal health implications.
Image Source - https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/
Asbestos Regulations in the UK
Following the severity of asbestos hazards, the UK government banned the production, import and distribution of most asbestos products in 1999. However, there is still a high risk of asbestos exposure for construction and maintenance workers, as many old buildings contain asbestos products. According to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, property owners must be aware of the presence of asbestos on their property and take the necessary measures to prevent asbestos contamination. Individuals working in properties containing asbestos must understand the importance of awareness and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of asbestos and related health hazards.
Online asbestos awareness training can be completed, as outlined by the Health and Safety Executive, to help refresh your team's understanding of asbestos awareness in response to situational changes.
To learn more about the history of asbestos, look at our articles ‘Asbestos Regulations: Everything You Need To Know’ and ‘Why Was Asbestos Banned in the UK?’.
