Asbestos-related illnesses are responsible for the deaths of 20 trades people each week, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) supported two events in Powys to highlight the dangers of "the hidden killer" to construction workers from across mid Wales.

The Working Well Together (WWT) group, made up of representatives from construction businesses and local authorities, held the events in Newtown and Brecon, which included presentations on a range of other construction issues such as working at height and risk assessments.

Construction is the country's biggest employment sector, but is also one of the most dangerous with 77 fatalities in Great Britain in 2006/07, five of which were in Wales. In Wales there were also a total of 652 injuries classed as major or requiring more than three days off work.

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These events are aimed at helping to reduce the number of fatal and serious incidents in construction.

HSE Principal Inspector for Construction, Chantal Nicholls said: "Safety related incidents can cost businesses money and result in projects being delayed, and yet many incidents we investigate could have been avoided had safe systems of work been in place.

'These events provide practical advice in an informal setting."

HSE has also recently launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the dangers faced by those working in construction-related trades from asbestos, which can lead to the development of mesothelioma and other terminal asbestos-related diseases many years later.

"The number of deaths from asbestos related illness is increasing year-on-year. We need to educate tradesmen and those working in construction about how asbestos and its dangers are relevant to them.

"With over 500,000 non-domestic buildings in the UK containing asbestos it still presents a real risk to tradesmen." Chantal Nicholls added.

(JM)