We thank the British Lung Foundation (BLF) for their awareness campaign on conditions can lead to lung disease. Unfortunately, exposure to asbestos occurred in the world and the UK Health and Safety Executive estimates that 4,000 deaths occur each year due to mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. Thank you to the members of BLF and all that awareness about mesothelioma and asbestos.
This week is "Breathe Easy Week," the week of the flagship campaign for the UK Lung Health British Lung Foundation charity. Each year a different theme is chosen for the week, which Breathe Easy groups (BLF support groups for those affected by pulmonary or respiratory disease) used as the basis for a series of awareness events across the UK. This year, the focus is BLF 'Take 5 and Stay Alive "campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the danger posed by asbestos to people doing home renovations, and offer advice to help people perform improvements around the house safely.
Asbestos has been banned as a building material in Great Britain in 1999, and could be present in a building in Britain that was built or renovated before. It has been used in a variety of ways in national contexts, including in wall cavities, in ceiling and floor tiles, and around pipes, toilets and boilers.
A recent survey by the British Lung Foundation found that 67% of British adults could not identify with confidence asbestos around the house, while 78% did not know that any use of the asbestos finally stopped as recently as the 190s These figures reinforce the need for there to be greater awareness of asbestos as a potential danger in a domestic setting.
The Take 5 and stay Alive campaign aims to get people to take a step back for 5 minutes before they work on their house and think about whether they might be at risk to meet the 'asbestos. The campaign began in March this year with a series of TV commercials, and Breathe Easy week, a range of advice and material support were produced. These include a website where people can get all the facts on free asbestos before they get to work on their home.
Home improvements can really put a personal stamp on a house, often even if you do it yourself. The BLF goal of Take 5 and Stay Alive campaign is to help people in those renovations safe, fully aware of where they might encounter asbestos, how it looks and what to do if they find it.
For more information, visit www.take5andstayalive.com
Patrick Pringle
Press and Campaigns Officer
British Lung Foundation
you hold a similar event, you want to promote us? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook. For more free information on asbestos and mesothelioma, click here.
