My local/unitary authority area was identified as having a high risk of mesothelioma. Does this mean there is a problem in my area or that I am at higher risk of being exposed to asbestos?
High-risk areas tend to be those containing, or near to, industrial sites where asbestos was used extensively in the past – for example, shipyards, asbestos manufacturing factories and railway engineering works [3]. This will usually mean that the area has a higher proportion of people who have worked in these industries than the average for the country, and excess mesotheliomas are likely to occur in people who have worked in them. In some cases there may have been a general environmental risk in places close to these sites in the past. Individual risk has more to do with occupation rather than geographical location of residence. Nowadays, those working in building maintenance trades are likely to be at highest risk.
Related Questions
- The number of mesotheliomas in my local/unitary authority area increased relatively more rapidly than the number for Great Britain as a whole. Does this mean my area has an asbestos problem?
- I live in Slough, but my child attends a school in another local authority area. Who is responsible for assessing their special educational needs?
- What does it mean if I have a high risk thermogram but a normal mammogram?
