John Jarratt Face of Asbestos Awareness Campaign
Announcement posted by Insight Communications 30 Oct 2017
JOHN JARRATT NAMED AS THE FACE OF NATIONAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
“NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS MONTH”
Renovating? Go Slow! Asbestos – It’s a NO GO!
Visit asbestosawareness.com.au - It’s not worth the risk!
Asbestos Awareness Day is Friday 24 November 2017
Today the Asbestos Education Committee announced the face of the National Asbestos Awareness campaign (November) will be one of Australia’s leading stars of theatre and screen, John Jarratt.
After losing his great mate and fellow actor Harold Hopkins to mesothelioma caused from inhaling asbestos fibres when he was young, Jarratt has been a dedicated campaigner and Asbestos Awareness Ambassador raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos among homeowners, renovators and tradies since 2012.
From November 1, the Asbestos Awareness campaign will feature John Jarratt and the new slogan “Renovating? Go Slow! Asbestos – It’s a NO GO! Visit asbestosawareness.com.au to learn what you need to know!” in radio community service announcements, online advertising, posters, flyers, bus advertising and on the campaign’s leading community asbestos education website, asbestosawareness.com.au to reinforce the potentially life-saving message that asbestos could be lurking in one third of Aussie homes built or renovated before 1987.
“Most Australians believe that asbestos-related diseases are a thing of the past, but they couldn’t be more wrong! Today, asbestos poses just as much a risk to the health of Australians as ever before,” said Jarratt.
“Each week 13 Australians die of asbestos-related diseases - 12 from malignant mesothelioma - another 13 are diagnosed with this incurable cancer that can develop 20-50 years after exposure to asbestos fibres. There is no cure and the average survival time is just 10-12 months after diagnosis.
“With numbers predicted to rise in coming years because people either ignore the warnings or don’t know the risks or how to manage asbestos safely; homeowners, renovators, and tradies are playing a risky game of ‘Renovation Roulette’ and putting their lives and the lives of others, including their kids, at risk,” he said.
“Asbestos was used in the manufacture of a broad range of products. It could be anywhere! Under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, extensions to homes, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels.
“Because Australia was among the largest consumers of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in the world, many products remain lurking in homes including brick, weatherboard, fibro or clad homes so it’s vital that anyone contemplating renovations or maintenance visit asbestosawareness.com.au to learn what they need to know to manage asbestos safely.” he said.
“Tradies are particularly at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres because they can come into contact with ACM every day on the job. And while some may have worked with asbestos in the past and ignored the warnings, every tradie needs to take the warnings seriously because it’s not worth the risk!” John Jarratt said.
Kathryn Heiler, Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee said, “Although there’s no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres, what we do know is that the greater the exposure, the greater the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.
“If sealed, in good condition and left undisturbed, asbestos is not believed to pose a health risk. However, if asbestos-containing materials are disturbed during renovations or maintenance and fibres are released that can be inhaled, this can cause asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma,” she said.
“Currently, while identifying, removing and disposing of all ACMs from every Australian home isn’t feasible, if homeowners wish to remove these products we encourage them to play it safe and use a licenced asbestos removalist who has the knowledge and qualifications to remove asbestos safely,” Ms Heiler said.
“Contrary to what people believe, the cost of asbestos removal by a licenced professional is affordable and comparable to most licenced tradesmen including electricians, plumbers and tilers with the cost of disposal at a lawful landfill site often included with the cost of professional removal.
“We want Australians to play it safe with asbestos and visit asbestosawareness.com.au where they can find user-friendly information and an online product database to help identify the types and locations of asbestos-containing products and information on how to manage and dispose of asbestos safely,” said Ms Heiler.
To help protect themselves and families from exposure to asbestos fibres, people can also download the ‘Asbestos Awareness Healthy House Checklist’ – a simple step-by-step guide on how to conduct a visual inspection of a home to ensure any suspected asbestos is identified and can be managed safely.
In 2017 the campaign will continue working with community leaders, stakeholders, businesses, associations and councils in every corner of Australia to increase widespread awareness of the dangers of asbestos in their communities to help save lives.
Everyone can participate in the campaign and help raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos to help save lives. It’s free and by registering in the campaign at asbestosawareness.com.au, people can access a wide-variety of campaign resources to distribute in their communities, in schools and in workplaces.
Australia’s national Asbestos Awareness Month campaign is the initiative of the Asbestos Education Committee working in partnership with the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute and the Heads of Asbestos Coordination Authorities.
“Renovating? Go Slow! Asbestos – It’s a NO GO!”
Visit asbestosawareness.com.au to learn what you need to know!
Access useful and practical resources from asbestosawareness.com.au including:
· Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide (easy to follow video hosted by Australia’s Renovation Queen and Asbestos Awareness Ambassador, Cherie Barber)
· Asbestos Awareness - 20 Point Safety Check (asbestos risks and how to manage asbestos safely)
· Asbestos Product Database – (Australia’s only comprehensive online asbestos product database)
· Asbestos Awareness Healthy House Checklist – A Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials (user-friendly step-by-step guide to identifying asbestos in the home)
· Fact Sheets for Homeowners (when, why and how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE))
· Residential Checklist for Tradies – A Tradespersons Guide to Asbestos (Identify the product types and locations in residential properties)
· Trade Specific Checklist for Tradies – A Tradespersons Guide to Asbestos (Tailored to trades)
· Fact Sheets for Tradies (when, why and how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE))
· Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan - Guide (user-friendly, step-by-step guide to manage NOA safely and in line with regulations)
· Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan - Templates and Fact Sheets (user-friendly, step-by-step templates and fact sheets to manage NOA safely and in line with regulations)
-ENDS-
Interview opportunities include: Kathryn Heiler, Chair, Asbestos Education Committee and Asbestos Awareness Ambassadors John Jarratt, Cherie Barber and Don Burke OAM.
· John Jarratt: Don’t Play Renovation Roulette Video: https://vimeo.com/239056408 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onx1yXzQtvo
· High Resolution John Jarratt Images: https://asbestosawareness.box.com/v/JohnJarratt
· High Resolution Asbestos Awareness Images https://asbestosawareness.box.com/v/AsbestosAwarenessImages