Safety campaigners, who have been warning workers and authorities about the dangers of asbestos for a very long time, are now again pushing to spread awareness about the same after important data related to this has come to light. It has been reported that in four decades, from 1977 to 2007, over 35,000 British workers have died from asbestos related cancer.

Asbestos is notorious as UK's biggest and most widespread workplace killer. Asbestos related cancer, called Mesothelioma, has been killing workers in factories for many years. Plumbers, electricians and decorators are most at risk of contracting this condition, as has been revealed by the Health and Safety Executive.

HSE is now launching a month long campaign to warn as many as 1.8 million workers across the country of the risks they are facing. Researches have revealed that tradesmen harbor the myth that asbestos is a bygone problem and they are now safe. On the contrary, the substance is very likely to be present in any buildings constructed or renovated before 2000.

Steve Coldrick, the HSE's asbestos program director, said, "Sadly there is nothing we can do to stem the tragic loss of workers who were exposed to asbestos in years gone by. But we can listen to their stories, and the one thing we hear time and again from older workers is that they were never told about the risks of working with asbestos".

HSE's drive aims at not only educating workers about the potential risk, but also about how they can better protect themselves against the same.