Asbestos litigation spreads round the world – is your asbestos health and safety up to date?

In light of the increase in asbestos litigation cases, which is spreading from the US to Europe and the rest of the world, companies must make sure they operate within the law to protect staff and customers from asbestos risks.

Last Updated on May 11, 2021 by

Asbestos litigation thrived around industrial cities in the United States after enterprising lawyers managed to turn a case of employer negligence, failing to equip workers with proper respirators, into a multibillion-dollar products-liability bonanza. Due to the United States imposing the most stringent regulations such as OSHA workplace rules and NESHAP regulations to restrict release of asbestos fibers, asbestos litigation has been until recently an American Phenomenon.

The reality more recently is that asbestos-caused disease is growing around the world, resulting in several nations enacting asbestos compensation funds and various nations experiencing increasing amounts of litigation seeking compensation for asbestos-caused injuries.  For example, New Zealand has recently put into effect an asbestos compensation scheme and, Japan has both national asbestos compensation legislation and lawsuits seeking damages for asbestos disease allegedly resulting from work at railroads and other employers.  Scotland’s high court recently disappointed insurance companies by approving national legislation to allow more asbestos-related litigation.

Elsewhere in Europe -France, Italy and Spain are experiencing increases in lawsuits seeking compensation for asbestos disease.  Also South American workers exposed to asbestos also are increasingly involved in claiming: some have filed lawsuits in the U.S., and victim’s rights groups continue to emerge and grow in Brazil and other nations. With this in mind it is imperative for employers to ensure that their staff and customers are protected from asbestos fiber inhalation. Here at Armco Asbestos Consultants we offer various services to ensure companies operate within the asbestos law.

We offer various training: Asbestos Awareness; Works with Non-Licensed Asbestos Containing Materials; and Respiratory Mask Face Fitting. The Asbestos Awareness course is tailored for tradesman and those in any occupation where they are likely to come into contact with asbestos. The course aims to educate how to identify asbestos and the procedures to deal with it, thus protecting themselves and others from harmful asbestos fibers. The Works with Non-Licensed Asbestos Containing Materials teaches how to remediate or remove asbestos materials which are categorised as non-licensed. This means the work does not have to be contracted out to costly removal companies thus saving you money.  In addition, we offer a Respiratory Mask Face Fitting service which is crucial in protecting staff, as we have seen in this article the lawyers are ready to ensure you pay when staff are not protected.

We also offer advice and consultancy; sampling; both management and refurbishment and demolition Surveys; plus licensed and non-licensed removals. All our services ensure companies are safely managing their asbestos within the law to protect staff and customers alike. Please navigate this website for further details and contact the office on 0161 763 3727 or email info@armcoasbestostraining.co.uk

Published Dec 09, 2011