Lung Cancer, Mesothelioma and Asbestos: A Deadly Legacy We Can Reduce

Every year, too many people in Great Britain don’t make it home from work. The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that 124 workers died in work-related incidents in 2024/25 a sobering reminder that no one should ever lose their life simply for doing their job. While this number is lower than it was twenty years ago (223 deaths in 2004/05 and 495 in 1981), it is still 124 too many.

But what is often less visible are the lives claimed by work-related diseases, illnesses that may not strike immediately, but years or decades later. Among these, mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer remain two of the deadliest. In 2023 alone, 2,218 people died from mesothelioma, a cancer caused almost exclusively by past asbestos exposure. Together with asbestosis, these asbestos-related diseases have been killing over 6,000 people a year, making asbestos the biggest industrial killer in the UK.

Asbestos and Lung Cancer: The Facts We Cannot Ignore

1st of August marks World Lung Cancer Day, and it’s a day that means a lot to us here at ACS.

When it comes to occupational diseases, asbestos exposure is a major culprit, and not just for mesothelioma. In fact, lung cancer is the leading work-related cancer in the UK, with asbestos responsible for a significant proportion of cases.

Workers exposed to asbestos are five times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who are not. And for those who smoke as well? The risk doesn’t just add up, it multiplies. Smokers who are also exposed to asbestos are more than 50 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-exposed non-smokers.

These deaths are most common among tradespeople such as builders, plumbers, electricians, joiners or anyone who might disturb old building materials where asbestos still hides, decades after it was

banned in 1999.

Knowing the Rules: Regulation 4 and CAR 2012

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) set out exactly how asbestos should be managed in the UK. Regulation 4, the ‘Duty to Manage Asbestos’, places a legal responsibility on those who manage non-domestic premises to locate, assess, and manage asbestos risks to protect anyone who may come into contact with it.

These regulations, and the commitment of organisations to follow them, are starting to make a measurable difference.

For the first time in years, we are seeing a slight decline in mesothelioma deaths in the UK. 2,218 deaths in 2023, down from 2,280 in 2022, and significantly below the average of 2,508 per year between 2011 and 2020. Male deaths have reduced in the last two years, with 1,802 recorded in 2023 compared to a decade average of 2,091, while female deaths have remained broadly steady at around 416 each year.

These small reductions offer a glimmer of hope that consistent asbestos management, awareness, and the application of regulations like CAR 2012 are working. But the reality remains stark: each statistic represents a family forever changed by a cancer that is entirely preventable.

Asbestos-related disease statistics, Great Britain 2025, HSE

What We Do at ACS

At ACS, this has been our mission since 1978. For nearly five decades, we’ve stood alongside organisations, local authorities, NHS Trusts, the MOD, and major businesses to make sure asbestos is assessed, managed, and removed safely.

Our work includes:

• UKAS-accredited asbestos surveys & testing

• Remediation project management

• UKATA-approved asbestos training and bespoke courses

• Compliance and risk management support

Every project we take on is a chance to prevent more families from facing the heartbreak that so many have already endured. On this World Lung Cancer Day, please take a moment to consider where asbestos risks may still exist in your environment. It could be the difference that protects a colleague, a contractor, or your family.

Thank you for supporting us as we continue to protect lives, one survey, one project, and one training session at a time.

Need support with asbestos management or compliance?

Contact ACS today on 0141 427 5171 or email info@acsrisk.com