A Scottish charity has warned that a legacy of Fife’s industrial past is a “potential ticking timebomb”.
Asbestos Action Tayside (AAT), which works with victims of asbestos exposure and their families, has urged people across Fife with concerns about their exposure to asbestos to seek help and support as soon as possible.
AAT made the call as figures released by the Scottish Government show the number of hospital admissions in the region for asbestos-related conditions has increased by nearly 35% in the past five years.
Last week AAT held an information and awareness-raising event for individuals concerned about exposure to asbestos and their families in Kirkcaldy.
The event saw the launch of a new credit card-size card to help raise awareness of AAT’s free and confidential nationwide helpline service.
AAT says an increasing number of individuals are being diagnosed with asbestos-related conditions following exposure to fibres which may have occurred up to 40 years ago.
People exposed to asbestos can suffer from a number of conditions, from pleural plaques, a form of scarring of the lungs which may not develop into anything more serious, to mesothelioma at the other end of the scale, an aggressive and incurable form of lung cancer.
Alison Blake, general manager of Asbestos Action Tayside, fears significant numbers of people suffering asbestos-related conditions are not accessing the support available to them and their families, or fully aware of their legal rights.
Ms Blake said: “An increasing number of people in Fife have to face up to the harsh reality of a lingering death sentence simply because of the work they may have undertaken many years ago.
“Each week we deal with many individuals and families whose lives have been blighted. It is likely the number of those affected by asbestos exposure in the region has yet to peak.
“It is accordingly essential that every effort is made to educate the public, in Fife and elsewhere of the dangers of asbestos exposure, not just in the workplace but also to those who may engage in domestic DIY activities.
“The statistics also appear to suggest that a significant number of individuals receiving treatment for asbestos related conditions may not be accessing the wider support services available.
“Of particular concern is that there may be a number of people diagnosed with pleural plaques who, because they do not experience any obvious incapacity, do not access the wider support services available, including legal services.”
These individuals are therefore not made aware of their rights to pursue a legal claim in Scotland, or the fact that if they fail to do so within three years of diagnosis, they may be subsequently time barred and prevented from pursuing a legal remedy, even if a more serious asbestos related condition is diagnosed.”