Recent research by the BBC has revealed that the number of asbestos related cancer deaths across the UK have reached a record high. The West Midlands has seen the greatest increase in the number of deaths, followed by the East of England.
Asbestos is claiming the lives of not only the men that worked with the dangerous material, but also their wives, who were exposed to asbestos dust through washing their husband's work clothes
Simon Longbottom, operations manager for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the East, told the BBC:
"The figure has continued to increase over recent years which reflects occupational exposures that occurred many years ago because there is a long time lag between exposure in most cases and the onset of the disease."
According to the HSE, the number of mesothelioma related deaths is likely to keep rising over the next five years.