Don’t be complacent over asbestos-related disease risks at work - HSENI

Date published: 26 September 2025

Topics: Workplace Health, Asbestos, Occupational lung disease, Occupational cancers

As Mesothelioma Awareness Day is marked today (Friday 26 September) the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is urging employers not to become complacent when it comes to the risk of asbestos-related disease in the workplace. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer usually linked to asbestos exposure.

Figures for Northern Ireland suggest that up to 100 people could die per year due to past exposure to asbestos at work, with almost half (48) from Mesothelioma.

Nicola Monson, Deputy Chief Executive of HSENI, said: “While asbestos was banned 25 years ago, this sadly isn’t a problem of the past. Legislation governing its presence in the workplace still remains critically important. It is essential that employers understand what their duties are under the law, including the management and removal of asbestos containing materials to stop it becoming a problem in the future.”

She also explained how one of the aims of HSENI’s current year-long Workplace Health Campaign is to raise awareness of the workplace risks that can lead to other illnesses, and how important it is that employers effectively manage health in the workplace as well as safety.

“Every workplace has health risks but sadly for too many people these risks result in long term health conditions or even death. This ill health and associated suffering is in most cases preventable if the right control measures are in place.

“So, as part of our Workplace Health Campaign we are targeting a wide range of employers, workers, and industry bodies to create awareness of what the law requires them to do and ensure dutyholders have the information they need to protect worker lung health in every workplace,” she added.

NISRA’s most recent figures indicate that there were 48 cancer deaths from mesothelioma in Northern Ireland in 2022 alone. Some 18 of these were people in the skilled trades occupations from past exposures.

Nicola added, “It is essential to realise that every worker has a right to work in an environment that is protective of their health as well as safety. Workers need to be able to go home knowing their lung health hasn’t been damaged because of the job they do.

“Every workplace has health risks, we just need to know how to reduce them. We hope this campaign and the associated information and advice will help all concerned on that important and essential journey.

To find out more about how to protect yourself and your employees visit our webpages at the following links:

For our more information on Workplace Health and our current campaign visit:

Workplace Health - Topic page

Or contact us by phone or email:

telephone: 0800 0320 121
email: mail@hseni.gov.uk

Notes to editors :

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Department for the Economy (DfE).
HSENI is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland.
HSENI and the Department for the Economy have sourced and analysed data from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, amongst others to establish an overview of work-related illness specific to Northern Ireland. Where there is a lack of available data for work-related illness in Northern Ireland, Great Britain (GB) data has been used to estimate figures. All estimates should be treated with caution.
HSENI Workplace Health Statistics and Analysis booklet
For media enquiries please contact HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.