ASA ruling 'unfortunate' but HSE asbestos campaign still hits the spot, says TUC
September 24th 2009 The TUC has expressed its surprise at the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) decision to uphold a complaint against the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Asbestos: The Hidden Killer campaign.
The complaint challenged the HSE on the number of workers it quoted as dying as a result of exposure to asbestos fibres. The ASA agreed that the use of the numbers for asbestos-related deaths was an effective and appropriate tactic to bring home to tradesmen the serious risks they face in disturbing asbestos, but decided that the HSE should have made clear in its radio advertisements that the figures were based partly on estimates.
"The Hidden Killer campaign is one of the most successful information campaigns the HSE has ever run. It was developed with the input of a group of workers with direct knowledge of the hazardous nature of asbestos and the adverts have the full support of unions," commented TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.
"We know from research the HSE has carried out that the campaign has not only raised awareness of the dangers asbestos poses but it has also changed the behaviour of many of those who have seen the materials.
"The ASA ruling, while unfortunate, does not change the fact that asbestos is the number one occupational killer and that every case of exposure is avoidable with the correct safety procedures.
"The TUC is surprised by the ASA judgement as the HSE fatalities figures have always been regarded as overly cautious and if all premature deaths caused by asbestos are included the figure would almost certainly be much higher. We hope that the HSE will continue to run hard-hitting campaigns like this."
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