2,218 asbestos related deaths in Great Britain in 2023

The HSE has released the statistics for 2023 which show that there were 2,218 deaths from mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart, most commonly caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos fibres. Symptoms often appear decades after exposure and may include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fluid build up around the lungs.  The number of deaths is declining, due to the ban on the use of asbestos.  The problem is not going to go away quickly. There were 1,605 new cases of mesothelioma in 2023 of which 205 were female. This compares with ,755 new cases in 2022, of which 250 were female.  Men who worked in the building industry continue to be most at risk of mesothelioma.

In contrast, there were 124 workers killed in work-related accidents in 2024/25.

The full report is here.