The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is seeking to raise awareness of the risks posed by exposure to asbestos, which can lead to the disease mesothelioma.

It was revealed that 184 people died in the Grampian area over that time as the HSE launched its latest campaign, aimed at reducing the rising death rate by educating today's tradesmen about the dangers that asbestos continues to pose.

Greg Haywood, head of HSE's asbestos licensing unit, said: "We need to educate tradesmen about how asbestos and its dangers are relevant to them. We want them to change the way they work so that they don't put their lives at risk.

"More people die in Britain every year from asbestos-related illnesses than in road accidents. Every week, 20 tradesmen die from asbestos related illnesses – if that was to be replicated by footballers dying, the equivalent of the entire Scottish Premier League would be wiped out in a matter of weeks."

Exposure to the substance is the biggest single cause of work-related deaths and the overall number is rising because a large number of workers who have already been exposed to asbestos dust around 40 years ago will go on to develop mesothelioma, a terminal cancer, or other asbestos-related diseases, he added.

Even today, asbestos presents a real and relevant risk to plumbers, joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers. It may be present in any building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000, and it is estimated that around 500,000 non-domestic buildings could contain asbestos. These buildings all need repair and maintenance work from time to time, and when the asbestos fibres are disturbed, such as by drilling or cutting, they are likely to be inhaled as a deadly dust.

Advice from the HSE is that if asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it cannot be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Those responsible for managing building maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings have a duty to inform tradesmen if asbestos is present in a building they are working in.

Depending on the type of asbestos-containing material, and providing they have been trained and the proper controls are in place, they may be able to work on the project. Asbestos sprayed coatings, board or lagging on pipes and boilers should only be tackled by licensed workers.

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