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The leading professional body in occupational safety and health is this week joining forces with a US-based not-for-profit organisation to raise awareness of the risks of exposure to asbestos in the workplace.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) have teamed up for Global Asbestos Awareness Week (GAAW), which runs from April 01-07.
IOSH is supporting GAAW to raise awareness of asbestos at work and to promote the range of resources it has produced through its award-winning No Time to Lose campaign to help businesses manage the risks.
GAAW is dedicated to awareness and prevention, with each day featuring educational resources from leading organisations, guest blogs, videos, and asbestos victims’ stories. The week culminates on April 07 withan online, worldwide candlelight vigil.
Building on ADAO’s strength and collaboration, this year’s GAAW will focus on:
1. Banning the mining, manufacturing, and use of asbestos
2. Preventing asbestos exposure
3. Increasing compliance and enforcement of existing laws and regulations
4. Strengthening international partnerships
As the world responds to the Covid-19 outbreak, ADAO will work with its partners to do what it can during this difficult time and will use technology to advance prevention and advocacy efforts.
Linda Reinstein, mesothelioma widow and ADAO co-founder, said:
“We are excited to bring our educational messages to an even wider audience by collaborating with the IOSH, the world’s chartered professional body for occupational safety and health professionals , and with McOnie, an award-winning U.K. based public relations agency, that expands our ability to distribute our messages globally.”
“ The simple truth is asbestos kills and prevention remains the only cure. Asbestos-caused diseases like mesothelioma can take years––even decades––to kill, but the hidden risk of asbestos fibers only takes a few heartbeats to tell. While we continue to deal with a difficult global pandemic, patients with asbestos-related diseases face an even greater risk. We remain dedicated to our prevention and policy work to eliminate all asbestos-caused diseases.”
IOSH Chief Executive Bev Messinger, said:
“We’re proud to be partnering with ADAO for Global Asbestos Awareness Week to share our No Time to Lose campaign resources. We have a range of materials that can help organisations manage the risks of exposure to asbestos and I’d encourage employers to use these and other advice, provided by organisations such as ADAO, to keep their workers safe.”
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and there is no safe level of exposure. Since the 19th century, asbestos was widely used in construction, shipbuilding, and the automotive industry. It is the biggest cause of workplace cancer claiming at least 107,000 lives a year worldwide, which could’ve been prevented.
For more information about ADAO and GAAW, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
To find out more about IOSH’s No Time to Lose campaign, visit www.notimetolose.org.uk
