- Published a leaflet and poster raising awareness of the hazards of asbestos
- Published 4 guides on preventing exposure to asbestos
- Produced a video where asbestos can be commonly found in buildings
- Organised several public conferences in London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Perth and Nottingham to offer advice on dealing with asbestos and raise awareness of the dangers associated with exposure to the fibres
- Organised many seminars in different parts of the UK
- Held workplace action weeks on asbestos
- Supported HSE initiatives on raising awareness of asbestos issues
- Been represented on a HSE Working Group reviewing Asbestos Regulation in the UK
- Promoted the GMB Campaigning at major health and safety exhibitions annually since 1996
- Put the case for a ban on white asbestos to the European Commission directly
- Presented campaign information to a group of industrialists, European Members of Parliament and European Commission staff at a Seminar in Brussels
- Repeated our call for a ban on white asbestos at a key European health and safety conference in Bilbao, Spain in September 1997
- Presented the case for a can at the Council of Europe Social Committee in November 1997 - the GMB were present at the full plenary of the Council, in April 1988 when the Council adopted a Report recommending a ban on all forms of asbestos across its 40 Member States
- Lobbied both Parliament and the European Commission about implementing a European wide ban on asbestos products. This assisted in the UK banning white asbestos in 1999 and the European Union implementing a ban from 2005 across all Member States
- Gave a presentation at the Global Asbestos Conference in Osasco, Brazil in September 2000 and drafted the statement from the trade unions
- Joined with the Health & Safety Executive on a Working Group supported by the European Commission to develop practical guidelines for training asbestos removal workers across all Member States.
- Joined the UK delegation in 2000 to the Senior Liaison Committee analysing the enforcement of asbestos controls in Sweden, Spain, the UK and France and
- Contacted every Head of Government in the World asking for their support in banning asbestos World Wide in April 2001
The GMB has about 25,000 workplace based Safety Representatives in a wide range of
occupations, covering both public and private employers. They are supported by the most extensively resourced training and information services of any UK trade union - all directed to prevent accidents and ill health at work.
The following is reprinted from the Government’s Revitalising Health & Safety Strategy Document:
‘Workplaces with trade union safety representatives and joint health and safety committees have significantly better accident records - over 50% fewer injuries - than those with no consultation mechanism.’
If you want the protection of the GMB around you to make your workplace safer, contact the GMB here.
The GMB has produced a number of materials on asbestos, including a video identifying where asbestos is commonly found in buildings.
For current details of our materials contact: Alf Jones or
Ken Lowe
Columbus Quay,
Riverside Drive,
Liverpool,
L3 4GB
0151 727 0077
If you are not a member,
