HSE Asbestos Statistics Summary and Expert Analysis

Mesothelioma remains one of the most tragic occupational diseases in the UK. It's a cancer almost exclusively linked to exposure to asbestos fibres. It's almost always fatal often within 12 months of diagnosis. Needless to say, that it is a safety risk that must be taken seriously by employers.

Despite asbestos being banned in the UK in 1999, its presence in older buildings still poses a serious threat today. As someone with over 35 years in the health and safety industry and having delivered asbestos awareness training to thousands of professionals, I’ve seen how real the danger still is. I’ve spent years analysing data, legislation, and emerging trends to ensure our training addresses today and tomorrow's biggest health and safety risks.

The most recently published Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on mesothelioma is an urgent call to action for every safety professional in the UK. As experts in the field of health and safety, we have done a technical breakdown of the key insights from the report and placed them in context for health and safety professionals.

Key Mesothelioma Statistics for Great Britain

• Deaths from mesothelioma:
  • 2,257 deaths from mesothelioma in 2022.
  • 2,218 deaths from mesothelioma in 2023.
  • The 2023 number is substantially lower that the average of 2,508 deaths per year over the 10-year period 2011 - 2020.
• 1,838 male deaths and 419 female deaths. The number of male deaths has reduced over the last 3 years with female deaths remaining level with previous years.
• 1,755 new cases assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).
• 70%+ of deaths occurred in those aged 75 and over.
• Men who worked in the building industry when asbestos was used extensively in the past continue to be most at risk of mesothelioma.

Why Men Are Disproportionately Affected

The data reflects a clear pattern: the majority of mesothelioma cases occur in men, particularly those who worked in high-risk sectors during the 1950s - 1980s. The most affected occupations include:

• Carpenters, electricians, and plumbers
• Shipbuilders and metal plate workers
• Insulators and laggers

These industries saw heavy use of asbestos insulation board (AIB) and lagging materials containing amosite (brown asbestos). I’ve personally inspected sites where workers unknowingly drilled through AIB panels with no respiratory protection.

Why Females Deaths Remain Low

Female mesothelioma deaths tend to be linked to non-occupational or environmental exposure, such as:

• Working in buildings that contained asbestos.
• Living with someone who worked with asbestos (secondary exposure).
• Exposure from contaminated school buildings or healthcare settings.

The consistent number of female deaths (400–500 annually) underlines the need for better building management and asbestos controls, especially in public sector estates.

Asbestos Regulations in the UK

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) remains the UK’s cornerstone legal framework. It places clear responsibilities on employers, building owners, and duty holders, including:

• Identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
• Maintaining an up-to-date asbestos register.
• Conducting asbestos risk assessments.
• Implementing effective control plans.

Asbestos remains in an estimated 1.5 million UK buildings. Anyone managing buildings built before 2000 must assume asbestos is present unless proven otherwise by a Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) survey.

The vast majority of mesothelioma deaths, over 70%, now occur in people aged 75+. These are workers exposed in their 20s, 30s and 40s when asbestos use peaked in the 1960s and 70s.

Younger cohorts, those under 65, are seeing declining death rates, showing that tightened regulations and improved awareness are working.

Regional Trends Throughout the UK

According to the HSE, mesothelioma death rates remain highest in England, particularly in industrial regions such as:

• The Northeast, due to historical shipbuilding.
• London, due to its large number of legacy commercial buildings.
• South Wales and Scotland, though slightly improved, still show elevated rates.

You can access regional breakdowns via the HSE’s interactive mesothelioma maps.

What Are the HSE’s Projections for Asbestos Deaths?

The HSE’s statistical model, based on deaths up to 2017, projects:

• A continued gradual decline in male deaths during the 2020s.
• Female deaths to remain stable through the decade before reducing post-2030.
• Long-term reductions in asbestos exposure levels confirmed by lung burden research.

These trends are hopeful, but only if current levels of vigilance are maintained. If we lower our guard, especially in refurbishment and demolition, we risk exposing a new generation of workers.

What Should Duty Holders Be Doing Now?

If you’re a facilities manager, site supervisor, or principal contractor, the following actions should already be standard:

Update Your Asbestos Register: Ensure it reflects the current condition and location of ACMs, especially if the building is subject to alteration.

Provide Task-Specific Training: General awareness is not enough. Workers need job-relevant instruction for work on or near ACMs.

Audit Your Survey Strategy: Desktop surveys or outdated Type 2 surveys are no longer acceptable. You need an HSG264-compliant R&D survey before invasive works.

Have a Robust Emergency Procedure: What happens if ACMs are disturbed? Your workforce must know the steps to isolate, contain, and report.

Common Mistakes in Asbestos Awareness

I’ve worked with clients across housing, education, manufacturing, and defence sectors. The same mistakes kept surfacing:

• Complacency due to low perceived risk.
• Lack of ownership of the asbestos register.
• Failure to supervise contractors.

I’ve seen the fear on a worker’s face when they learn they’ve unknowingly disturbed an AIB ceiling tile. I’ve supported families pursuing compensation claims, and I’ve trained engineers who now train others. This is why I take asbestos risk so seriously.

How Can You Increase Asbestos Awareness?

• Book your Asbestos Awareness course with Astutis.
• Conduct a compliance check against CAR 2012.
• Talk to your team - do they know what to do if they find asbestos?

Remember, mesothelioma is entirely preventable. But only if we stay vigilant, trained, and informed. To learn more about our Asbestos Awareness course, head over to our course page via the button below to view a full syllabus and most frequently asked questions. Alternatively, you can visit related blogs on UK health and safety statistics summaries below.