Jim Shannon MP: The government needs to help to stop next asbestos-style scandal from taking lives

For construction workers in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom, we are calling on the government to take action and prevent the ‘next asbestos’ from taking more lives in the UK.
By Jim Shannon and Gregg McClymont
Published 11th Mar 2020, 10:31 BST
Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

It is estimated that 600,000 workers across the UK are exposed to RCS — the dust created by cutting or fracturing brick and stone — which causes silicosis, the most common chronic occupational lung disease in the world.

Our recent joint parliamentary inquiry heard expert evidence that workplace exposure limits for RCS are too high, there are difficulties in diagnosis due to pressure on GPs’ time and problems accessing expert specialists, and there is a widespread lack of understanding and awareness among construction workers and employers of the risks around RCS.

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We are calling on the government to take a number of crucial steps to address these issues and protect construction workers from what could develop into a future occupational health epidemic.

Jim Shannon, DUP MP for Strangford, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Respiratory Health, House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A, Gregg McClymont, Director of Policy of the not for profit construction organisation B&CE, West Sussex

Related topics:Jim ShannonNorthern IrelandUnited KingdomDUP