Take 5 and Stay Alive is an initiative by the British Lung Foundation to highlight the risks of working with asbestos.
The Take Five website features a number of short, easily digestible sections with key information about asbestos, where it can be found, its risks, and facts about working with asbestos.
There are also a number of additional resources, including:
- A gallery of images, drawn from the HSE site, of asbestos and asbestos containing materials
- An image gallery identifying common places that asbestos containing materials are found
- The HSE’s illustration of asbestos work categories
- The HSE’s advice on non-licensed work with asbestos – a worksheet providing guidance to employers, managers and sole traders on what to do when they need to work near asbestos containing materials
In addition, the website is supported by a downloadable Take Five asbestos guide – a single A4 poster with a guide to assessing the risks of working with asbestos.
Cleverly, the site also provides a section for non-professional DIYers who may also encounter asbestos. The DIY section provides a neat 5-step checklist for anyone planning to carry out work around the home.
The checklist includes:
- What is asbestos?
- Where and when was asbestos used?
- What does asbestos look like?
- What if I find asbestos in my home?
- Where can I get all the facts?
Given that asbestos wasn’t finally banned until 1999, this kind of asbestos awareness for home improvement enthusiasts seems particularly useful. It’s also supported by a downloadable factsheet.
For further information about Take 5 and Stay Alive, check out the website or contact the British Lung Foundation.