DDC Release **************
KENT LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND HSE LAUNCH ASBESTOS INSPECTION CAMPAIGN
Local Authorities across Kent, including Dover District Council, are joining forces with the Health and Safety Executive to carry out targeted inspections in February to raise awareness and make sure companies are not exposing workers to potentially harmful asbestos fibres.
The county-wide campaign will run throughout February, and letters have been sent to premises across Kent, including 80 in Dover District, to remind businesses of their responsibilities under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, and to pre-warn them of the inspection visits.
Asbestos related diseases are still the largest occupational killers in the UK, with around 4,000 deaths per year. These figures are continuing to rise and about 25% of those dying from asbestos related disease have worked in the building, maintenance and repair trades at some time during their working lives.
For more information on health and safety issues, please see the DDC website at
www.dover.gov.uk or call the Environmental Health team at DDC on (01304) 872216 or for more information about asbestos, see the HSE website at
www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos