Justice for asbestos workers, past and present

November 10th, 2008

The legacy of asbestos is one we know all too well in Greenock and Inverclyde.

Living in an industrial area like ours, most people will know someone who has developed serious health conditions caused by exposure to asbestos.

And to compound the problem, we have had to endure insurance companies who will try every trick in the book to avoid paying up compensation for the damage that has been done.

Through my links with the unions and campaigners, I have been able to help both former colleagues and constituents with their claims.

Like others, I have been able to help source works records and give personal statements to lawyers that prove victims worked in the trade that exposed them to asbestos.

I have been able to continue that work in the Scottish Parliament, where we have a proud record of defending the rights of people who developed asbestos-related conditions.

I took part in a debate last week on a bill that looks to ensure that people with asbestos-related conditions get the compensation they deserve by reversing a decision made in the House of Lords that denies them their rightful due.

At the first stage of this important bill, it has gained almost universal support across the political divide and I very much looked forward to seeing it passed into law.

It is important to remember at this time that asbestos is not a historical issue.

A recent report by the Health and Safety Executive reveals that on average 20 tradesmen currently die every week from asbestos-related diseases.

Asbestos can still be present in buildings constructed before 2000 and an estimated 500,000 non-domestic buildings are believed to contain asbestos.

That puts today’s plumbers and joiners in jeopardy, proving the threat of asbestos is not a thing of the past.

While its only right to fight for the rights of the victims of the past, its just as important to prevent other becoming the victims of the future.