Joint ATaC and NORAC Seminars were held in Leeds and London

Seminars were organised by ATaC and NORAC with the objective of reviewing the Annual Data Report on Asbestos in Buildings and facilitating constructive dialogue on the status of the asbestos analytical industry.

The meetings fostered candid and transparent exchanges on prevailing guidance and perspectives regarding compliance and provided insights into areas where improvement could be made.

Jonathan Grant gave a short presentation detailing the findings of the initial report into asbestos in buildings and the problems encountered with data collection of this size.

We also had the privilege of hosting Saranjit Sihota from Mesothelioma UK, who shared insights on their ongoing "Don't Let The Dust Settle Campaign". The audience was moved by the powerful narratives of Chris Emmitt, who cared for her brother when he had Mesothelioma, and Helen Bone, a Mesothelioma patient, as they spoke about their personal experiences. Their testimonies served as a poignant reminder of why we are committed to our work and reinforced the significance of preventing this dreadful yet avoidable illness.

During his presentation, Mick Dawson highlighted how the understanding of data on asbestos-related diseases has evolved over time and discussed the potential for statistical distortion.

Lastly, John Richards delved into the specifications for forthcoming reports, which entailed incorporating additional parameters in the next data collection and emphasised the necessity of standardising the information gathered during the surveying process.

The consensus of these seminars was that minor enhancements could have a substantial impact on the management of asbestos in the UK. For instance, streamlining the Priority Assessment process for duty holders could be a crucial step towards achieving this goal.

The objective is to establish the data analysis as an annual occurrence, and once again, we require as much data as possible to generate a comprehensive report. The data we possess is critical, and by working collectively, we can accomplish much more than we could individually. Hence, if your organisation is willing to provide survey data, please reach out to Robert Southall, ATaC Manager, at info@atac.org.uk.