Although the UK government banned the use, supply and import of asbestos in 1999, it can still be found in many buildings today. We now know that asbestos causes disease, including cancer, and therefore represents a major health and safety hazard that must be handled with due diligence.

While this course does not qualify you to work with asbestos in a professional capacity, it will provide you with a comprehensive overview of asbestos, its legacy and how you can play your role in protecting yourself and others from its harmful effects.

You Will Learn

• What asbestos is, its history, what it is used for and why its presence is a major health and safety concern.
• The legislation that governs the safe management and handling of asbestos.
• Where you can expect to find asbestos in buildings constructed before 2000 and why some asbestos-containing materials are more dangerous than others.
• The health hazards associated with asbestos, including asbestosis and cancer, and the interaction between asbestos exposure and smoking.
• How employers should prepare for, and respond to, accidents and emergencies involving asbestos.

Benefits of Taking This Course

• You will have a greater understanding of how asbestos may affect you and your colleagues, which is particularly important if your line of work puts you at special risk.
• If your position obliges you to manage or oversee asbestos-related work or maintenance, this course will give you the background knowledge required to seek out appropriate guidance or support to ensure that all work is carried out safely.
• If you are a duty holder, this course will help you meet your obligations under health and safety law.
• You will learn how to deal with asbestos-related incidents and how to help others in the event of an emergency.
• This course will provide you with an insight into one of the most significant workplace health problems of the 20^th and 21^st centuries, so will benefit anyone interested in occupational health.