Recent data released by the United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive has revealed that mesothelioma deaths are on the rise all over the United Kingdom. In Pembrokeshire alone, for example, it has been revealed that the rare cancer killed fifty people during the period between 1981 and 2005, according to figures from the Health and Safety Executive.
Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity, as well as organs like the heart and lungs. The cancer may develop half a century after a person has been exposed to asbestos, a material once commonly used in insulation, fireproofing materials, and floor and ceiling tiles. While treatments like chemotherapy and surgical interventions can help some patients, the cancer remains incurable. Most mesothelioma patients are told they have less than 2 years to live when they are diagnosed.
The figures were released as part of the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Asbestos: The Hidden Killer’ campaign. According to new figures, 20 workers in the United Kingdom die each week from asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. Those numbers are expected to increase in the coming years.
“Asbestos is Britain’s biggest industrial killer,” Terry Rose, director of the Welsh branch of the United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive, explained.
“Asbestos-related illnesses claim the lives of 4,000 people every year…If you are not 100% certain that there is no asbestos [in your workplace], don’t start work…Think of it as…protecting your family and loved ones from unnecessary heartache.”