MERSEYSIDE ASBESTOS VICTIMS SUPPORT GROUP
Suite 32
2nd Floor
Oriel Chambers
14 Water Street
Liverpool 2. 8TD
Email gfr15@dial.pipex.com
Web-page. asbestosdiseases.org.uk
Telephone/Fax. 0151 236 1895
Charity Reg. No. 1033724.
NO EMBARGO TIME
Press Release issued 26-02-08.
Asbestos victims campaign to save lives
Action Mesothelioma Day-27 February 2008.
Campaigners today warned that thousands of North West tradesmen face death from the incurable lung cancer, mesothelioma.
The Merseyside and Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group will be holding a meeting at Liverpool Town Hall on Wednesday to call for better services for victims and in support of the Health and Safety Executive’s campaign to raise asbestos awareness among maintenance workers but said more needed to be done.
The two groups have helped over 120 newly diagnosed mesothelioma patients during 2007
The event aims to raise awareness about mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos. which presently claims the lives of more than 2000 people a year in the UK, more than those killed in road accidents.
The number of deaths from mesothelioma is not expected to peak until between 2011 and 2015 at around 1950 and 2450 deaths.
Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer found mainly in the lung pleura. It can lie dormant for many years.
Life expectancy from diagnosis is around 12 months. Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma.
Nationally the HSE has launched a campaign to generate awareness of the dangers of asbestos among maintenance workers.
The HSE estimate that 1.8m workers are likely to disturb asbestos during routine work activity and 85,000 workers are routinely exposed to high levels of asbestos. More than 8,000 people are predicted to die if there is a continued failure to comply with asbestos regulations
The support groups have called for the campaign to be properly resourced and to include simple, clear and practical advice to vulnerable construction and maintenance workers to avoid further deaths and will be demanding more inspections on construction and maintainance sites.
They have also asked for a television advertising campaign on the issue and for the free distribution of the HSE’s ‘Asbestos Essentials’ guidance in working safely with asbestos.
More than 67,400 construction workers in the North West are in danger of developing mesothelioma including 8,000 plumbers and electricians many of whom are routinely exposed to asbestos.
In the UK there were 2037 mesothelioma deaths in 2005, including 1000 tradesmen
The groups also warn that thousands of buildings, including schools, in the North West still contain asbestos, specifically those built before 2000. They will be asking Local Authorities to ensure any asbestos in schools is properly managed.
They are calling for the phased removal of all asbestos from schools or the rebuild of all schools containing asbestos to avoid a new generation of people dying from mesothelioma.
Between 1996 and 2000, 69 former teachers died from mesothelioma
Spokesperson for the Merseyside Group, John Flanagan said: “It is essential that as a modern society we learn from the past and rid asbestos from the built environment and in particular from schools. It only takes the political will to do this and the pressure from parents to ensure this is done”.
He added “Asbestos is still considered by some constructions workers as not posing a risk. A recent HSE report Taking Risks with Asbestos identified the mistaken belief by some workers who thought “Most asbestos has been removed, so there isn’t enough still around to worry about.”
” [ HSE Research Report RR 558 page vi]
“This view is wrong and must be changed. We whole heartedly support the Health and Safety Executive’s campaign but we call for it to go further and for it to be backed up by television advertising and a greater information-led campaign to ensure the message hits home.”
Mr. Allan Stevens of Rhyl, North Wales was diagnosed with mesothelioma in March last year after working all his life as a joiner. He said “I am receiving chemotherapy treatment of Alimta which has made a huge difference to the quality of my life. The treatment was originally rejected on cost grounds but groups like the Merseyside and Cheshire fought for it to be given to patients like me where my Oncolologist thought it would help. Support Groups are a Godsend to people diagnosed with this horrible condition and are always there as a helping hand”
Mr. Joe Donnelly, Senior Shop Steward for Unite employed by Knowsley Housing Trust said “Working with the company we have all been trained on the dangers of asbestos, we are hoping this campaign will ensure other employers safeguard their employees by taking the same measures”
The meeting starts at 12.00 noon with a sponsored balloon release at 3.00pm for research into finding a cure for mesothelioma. Children from Holly Cross, Liverpool will attend the balloon release.
Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support group can be contacted on 0151 236 1895.
Asbestos Awareness Day
Wednesday 27th February 2008
Liverpool Town Hall
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
In attendance will be
Deputy Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Steve Rotherham.
The Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Phil Gilchrist and Mrs. Chris Gilchrist.
The Mayor of Warrington, Councillor Mrs. Celia Jordan MBE and consort Mr. Roy Jefferson
The Mayor of Halton District Council, Councillor Mike Hodgkinson and Mrs. Kathy Hodgkinson
Councillor Michael Foulkes representing Knowsley Borough Council
Chairperson
Mrs. Jean Howard Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group
Speakers
Dr. Chris Warburton, Consultant Chest Physician, Aintree Hospital Trust and member of The Group of
Occupational Respiratory Disease Specialist
Nurse Maria Geurin, Antree Hospital Trust and Chair-National Lung Cancer Forum for Nurses
The Cheshire and Merseyside Asbestos Victims Support Groups will warn of the deadly dangers faced by thousands of tradesmen in the North West of the dangers of asbestos and will highlight the continuing need to bring home to society that its continuing legacy remains a major problem requiring action from the government for present and future sufferers of the insidious diseases it causes and in particular, mesothelioma.
The HSE’s programme is being launched on Action Mesothelioma Day as part of a national campaign.
Action Mesothelioma Day aims to raise awareness about mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos.
Statistics including a regional breakdown of the number of people affected by mesothelioma
Year on Year since 1997 the north west has had the highest number of mesothelioma deaths,
and
Of the three SHA areas in the north west the total figure of diagnosed cases of mesothelioma has been
Merseyside/ Cheshire 733
Cumbria/Lancashire 572;
Greater Manchester 570;
The annual number of newly diagnosed cases in the Merseyside/Cheshire area has increased from 73 in 1997 to 110 in 2004.
Source: Office for National Satistics
Between 2004 -5 Merseyside and Cheshire had the second highest number of diagnosed mesothelioma cases 123 of all the strategic health authorities
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for Health and Social Care
Of the prescribed diseases mesothelioma has the highest rate of new assessments in 2003-2005 per 100,000 employees in nine out of ten sectors of industry.
It also shows that, with a rate of 32.0 cases per 100,000 employees per year, the construction industry (including insulation and asbestos removal workers) has the highest rate, followed by extraction, energy and water supply industries with an annual rate of 9.4 cases per 100,000 employees.
Source: Table IIS10 HSE
Occupations with the highest risk of mesothelioma for males include: metal plate workers (including shipyard workers), vehicle body builders (including rail vehicles), plumbers and gas fitters, carpenters and electricians.
There are large differences in the magnitude of the rates between the different age groups for males, with rates since 1990 in the two oldest age groups (65-74 and 75+) being between 2 and 3 orders of magnitude higher than those in the lowest age category (0-44 years). A noticeable increase can be seen in males and females from the age of 50 onwards.
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