A NEW campaign aimed at keeping people safe from asbestos is being launched on Monday, focusing on buildings such as workplaces, schools and hospitals.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it wants to improve understanding of what the legal duty to manage asbestos involves.

Anyone with responsibilities for buildings are being urged to comply with the law and prevent exposure to the dangerous substance, widely used in post-war construction before it was banned in 1999.

HSE said businesses and organisations responsible for premises built before the turn of the century must carry out the necessary checks and understand their legal responsibilities.

Asbestos can become dangerous when disturbed or damaged, HSE warned.

Sarah Albon, HSE’s chief executive, said: “To keep people safe from the harms of asbestos, a culture of safely managing asbestos is needed in our building industry and among those responsible for buildings.

“Asbestos exposure in Britain is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths due to exposures decades ago.

“Together, we must protect people in the workplace and reduce future work-related ill health.”