This week marks Global Asbestos Awareness Week (1–7 April 2026), a vital opportunity to shine a spotlight on the ongoing dangers of asbestos exposure.
Despite being banned in the UK over two decades ago, asbestos remains a significant health hazard. Recent studies reveal a concerning complacency among UK tradespeople regarding its dangers, highlighting the urgent need for renewed awareness and stringent safety practices.
The persistent threat of asbestos
Asbestos-related diseases continue to claim over 5,000 lives annually in the UK, including conditions such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.
In 2023 alone, there were 2,218 mesothelioma deaths, with a similar number of lung cancer fatalities linked to past asbestos exposures. Additionally, 497 deaths in 2023 mentioned asbestosis on the death certificate.
Complacency among tradespeople
A survey conducted in September 2024 by High Speed Training, involving 500 UK tradespeople, uncovered alarming attitudes towards asbestos:
- 49% viewed asbestos as an issue of the past.
- 50% reported that concerns about asbestos diminished the longer they worked in their trade.
- 26% admitted to not following correct asbestos removal procedures upon encountering the material.
- 55% either disagreed with or were unaware that asbestos is the biggest workplace killer.
- 46% felt their asbestos training was insufficient.
- 70% thought asbestos training should be compulsory for apprentices and college-led tradespeople.
These statistics show that there is a clear awareness gap when it comes to asbestos. The issue is not simply that some tradespeople are ignoring the risk, but that too many still do not fully recognise how serious and current that risk remains. These results point to a wider problem of knowledge, confidence and complacency. If people think asbestos is yesterday’s issue, or do not feel properly equipped to deal with it, the risk of unsafe decisions becomes far greater.
High-risk sectors and practices
Certain trades exhibit particularly concerning trends:
- Roofers: 54% have not adhered to recommended asbestos removal processes.
- Plasterers: 43% neglected proper procedures.
- Joiners: 43% also failed to follow guidelines.
The primary reasons cited for these lapses include the perceived high cost of proper removal (55%) and directives from supervisors to handle asbestos without professional assistance (over 25%).
The Importance of Vigilance
The misconception that asbestos is a relic of the past is dangerous. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) emphasises that asbestos remains the largest single cause of work-related deaths in the UK.
Awareness campaigns, such as HSE’s ‘Asbestos and You‘ aim to educate tradespeople about the ongoing risks and legal responsibilities associated with asbestos handling.
Asbestos is estimated to remain present in up to 1.5 million buildings
HSE reviews regulatory framework in 2025
Another sign that asbestos remains a live issue, is the fact that the regulatory framework is still being reviewed. In November 2025, HSE launched a consultation on proposals to strengthen how the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 are applied in practice, with a focus on improving the independence of the four-stage clearance process, raising the standard of asbestos surveys, and clarifying what counts as notifiable non-licensed work. That matters because it shows the challenge is not only the historic presence of asbestos, but the need to keep guidance, oversight and working practices fit for the risks that still exist today. In other words, the system is still being refined because asbestos remains a current exposure risk for workers and building users alike.
Asbestos in UK schools
Asbestos in schools remains a live issue because many education buildings were constructed before 2000, when asbestos was finally banned in the UK. Government guidance is clear that school and college buildings from this period may still contain asbestos, which means the risk has not disappeared just because its use has ended.
HSE’s 2022/23 inspection programme found that most schools were managing asbestos effectively, but 7% of inspected schools required enforcement action. The most common failing was not having an up-to-date survey clearly showing the location of asbestos-containing materials.
Key points:
- School buildings built before 2000 may still contain asbestos
- 7% of schools inspected by HSE in 2022/23 required enforcement action
- The most common issue was incomplete or outdated asbestos survey information
- The majority of schools in England are still understood to contain some asbestos
The issue is not just whether asbestos is present, but whether it is being managed consistently over time. In older school estates, effective asbestos management depends on accurate records, clear communication, and making sure staff and contractors have the right information before any maintenance or building work begins.
The Joint Union Asbestos Committee – Raising awareness of asbestos in schools
The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC) continues to campaign for stronger action on asbestos in education buildings. Its current focus is not just on long-term removal, but on improving how asbestos is identified, monitored and managed in the meantime.
Recent JUAC-backed priorities have included calls for a central digital register of asbestos in non-domestic buildings, school-specific risk assessments and air testing, funded training for duty holders, and a phased removal programme starting with the most dangerous materials first. That keeps the issue firmly on the agenda as both a safety and estates management concern, rather than something schools can afford to treat as a legacy problem.
For employers and duty holders, asbestos awareness should not stop at posters and toolbox talks. The real test is whether asbestos information is current, accessible and built into maintenance, refurbishment and contractor control processes before work begins
