A poignant target of 4,000 hours of free asbestos awareness training has been set in a new initiative to help tradesmen in the North East and across Britain protect themselves from the deadly dust.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in partnership with the training industry, is calling for businesses to pledge free courses and hopes, during September to hit the target of 4,000 hours – reflecting the approximate number of deaths each year in Britain from asbestos-related diseases.

It is hoped that 4,000 face-to-face training hours and an additional 4,000 hours of online training will be offered up by various providers.

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The free training will be available throughout October and November and is aimed at tradesmen such as joiners, electricians and plumbers who are most likely to disturb the fibres as they go about their work – around 20 a week lose their lives to asbestos-related diseases.

In the North East, 1,446 people died from asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, during the period 1998 – 2008.

Pam Waldron, Head of Operations for HSE in the North East, said: "Our Hidden Killer campaign has helped tradesmen understand the lifesaving fact that asbestos exposure is not just an historical problem – around half a million public buildings still contain it.

"This next phase of the campaign is all about tradesmen finding out exactly what they need to do to protect themselves by taking advantage of free training.

"There is sadly little we can do to help those who are already suffering the often fatal effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace, but we can prevent this hidden killer claiming another generation.

"Through the continued commitment of asbestos support groups and by industry playing its part, we can all do something practical to ensure that the risk to workers is minimised."

(CD/GK)