Mesothelioma Awareness Day - 26 September

Today is Mesothelioma Awareness Day, a day to remind ourselves and others that exposure to asbestos is preventable with the right actions.

The HSE website provides more information and guidance about managing and working safely with asbestos. Read here for more from the HSE on Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

Whether you’re responsible for maintenance and repair of buildings, or doing the work yourself, you need to know:

  • about the risks of asbestos
  • how to manage it
  • how not to disturb it
  • when to involve an asbestos specialist

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure and all work on asbestos-containing materials requires specific training and controls. It is illegal to carry out work without these and asbestos waste must be disposed of in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and other relevant legislation.

Responsible for a building?

If you are responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings, you have a legal duty to manage asbestos safely. That means:

  • assessing asbestos-containing materials present (or suspected)
  • keeping an up-to-date record or register of the location and condition
  • assessing the risk of anyone being exposed
  • keeping an asbestos management plan that’s regularly monitored and reviewed
  • making sure you’ve got the right skills and training


Find out more about our Asbestos – Your Duty campaign.

Work in trades?

Due to the nature of the job, workers in skilled construction and building trades are at particular risk of asbestos exposure. If you’re a tradesperson, or manage workers in building, maintenance and allied trades, make sure you know:

  • what asbestos-containing materials look like and where they can be found
  • how to safely carry out work without disturbing asbestos
  • what to do when you come across it
  • about asbestos awareness training


View our Asbestos and You campaign for more information.

Training and competence

Workers who are likely to disturb asbestos during their normal day-to-day work must be appropriately trained to work safely with asbestos or trained to be aware of it and stop work.

If you are responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings or multi-occupancy domestic premises, you need the resources, skills, authority and training to ensure the asbestos-containing materials are managed effectively.

Find out more about the different levels of training and how to assess competence.

More about mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer which is almost exclusively related to asbestos exposure and is almost always fatal. It can take up to 30 years after being exposed to asbestos before symptoms appear.

Symptoms can include:

  • shortness of breath
  • persistent cough
  • wheezing
  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • pain in your chest or shoulder

If you employ people who carry out licensable work or notifiable non-licensed work, you will need to arrange appropriate medical examinations by a HSE appointed doctor to monitor early signs of potential health problems.

For more information about mesothelioma and support available, visit the NHS website

Click here to visit HSE’s website for more guidance about managing and working safely with asbestos.