Data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in May, 2003, confirm a seemingly inexorable rise in UK mesothelioma mortality. The number of male mesothelioma deaths increased nearly 300%, from 2,317 in 1980-1985 to 6,475 in 1996-2000. According to Damien McElvenny, a statistician in the Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit: "the highest risk occupations for males are those found within industries associated with heavy industrial use of asbestos in the past, for example shipbuilding, railway engineering and the insulation industry." A May 7, 2003 seminar in the House of Commons heard calls for the UK Government to adopt a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to this epidemic. The meeting: Asbestos Perspectives was held under the auspices of the Asbestos Sub-Committee of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health and included contributions from sufferers, carers, victim support representatives, community workers, medical specialists, politicians and civil servants.
In his opening remarks, Chairperson Michael Clapham MP commented that the growth in the asbestos death rate demanded government action and national attention. For this reason, he announced, it had been decided to make the House of Commons Asbestos Seminar an annual event.
No comments:
Post a Comment