Asbestos ranks as leading cause of UK workplace deathsA new report from the Health and Safety Executive, Britain's workplace safety agency, suggests that approximately 8,000 UK cancer deaths are linked to work, with asbestos one of the most prominent factors.
The Mirror reports that the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found that just under half of the cancer deaths involved young construction workers who had been exposed to the carcinogenic material.
Dr. Lesley Rushton, the study's lead author, told the news source that the findings in the report could be instrumental in preventing further workplace deaths.
"These results give us a clear insight into how people’s jobs affect their risk of cancer," Rushton explained. "We hope the findings will help develop a way to reduce health risks caused by exposure to carcinogens in the workplace."
The risks of asbestos exposure are clear as the inhalation of the dangerous mineral fibers has been linked to the development of asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Following asbestos exposure, the main risks were found among night shift workers, those who work around mineral oil from the printing and metal industries and those who come in contact with diesel engine exhaust fumes, the study found.
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