Asbestos kills - we want it banned. Nearly 300 people die each DAY from asbestos lung disease, most of them worked in the building trades. Many cement products used in building materials contain asbestos.

Common workplace substances used every day in our sectors can cause cancer, and need to be strictly controlled : Wood dust; welding fumes; cement dust; solvents used in glues, fillers, paints, laquers and varnishes; isocyanates; formaldehyde; and pesticides used in forestry plantations and for treating timber.

These risks are well known and so are the solutions to avoid them. There is a clear legal framework of employers’ duties and workers’ rights on health and safety at work. By far the greatest risk for our health and safety is the negligence of employers who do not comply with even basic legislation to protect people at work.

Deregulation, subcontracting chains, bogus self employment and informal contractual conditions make this situation even worse, undermining trade union and labour rights. In a number of countries we are seeing a worrying increase in accident rates, as negligent employers try to avoid these responsibilities by avoiding an employment relationship. Trade Unions are the answer to this problem. Workers need to be able to defend their rights, and only Trade Unions provide the support they need to do so.

Management has the legal responsibility to ensure that collective and individual prevention measures are in place to protect the safety and health of all those who work for their companies. Responsible employers want to work professionally, with a good working environment, and they understand the role of Trade Unions in preventing accidents and ill health at work.

A new study published by the International Labour Organisation shows that in the construction industry, compliance with health and safety laws is “highly dependent” on the presence of Trade Union Safety Representatives in the workplace with external Trade Union support for information and training on health and safety problems. Trade Unions were found to be a “key determinant” in workplaces with good safety performance. Click here for "The Role of Worker Representation and Consultation in Managing Health and Safety in the Construction Industry” David Walters, Professor of Work Environment Cardiff University".