Suing for health hazards is not in fashion in Malta. We hardly hear of lawsuits in which plaintiffs demand compensation for damages inflicted on them due to hazardous material or pollution at their place of work or residential environment.

In truth we don't have a suing culture altogether, which on the one hand is positive as it rids the courts from mass tort litigations that would further block the system.

However, the lack of fighting legally for one's rights, once these have been infringed, might be the main cause behind the lack of urgency in change and the removal of that which poses danger to people's health.

The case of asbestos is a typical example in Malta. Hundreds of Maltese workers and their families have been, for many years, and still are, exposed to the deadly material without really knowing its hazardous dangers.

Around the world, people get caught in legal battles claiming billions in compensation for alleged first, second and now even third degree victims of asbestos.

In Australia, the James Hardie Industries are still going through what seems to be a never-ending legal battle mounted by mass tort law firms representing asbestos victims who don't intend resting before having wiped out the company's financial portfolio.

Suing for damages is hardly the solution here. It could get things moving faster, but will never give back health in people's lives wherever asbestos has hit.

It's a hidden killer of the first degree. In fact, more people die of the effects caused by asbestos than any other work-related cause. In the UK, 3,000 workers die every year because of the hazards of asbestos, and all NHS projections indicate a surge of 10,000 workers a year in the near future.

All hit by a material which for years was the 'in' thing to have and a major industry-buster. The problem with asbestos victims is the long delay between the exposure of asbestos on human beings and the diagnosed effect.

It has been proven to hit all spheres of life, from construction sites to factories, industries and residential areas, particularly with water tanks on each and every roof top and corrugated sheets families enjoy so much in their gardens as a protection from the rays of the sun. What irony!

Today, all three main types of asbestos have been banned. These comprise the white type - Chrysotile; the brown type - Amosite; and the blue type - Crocidolite.

Though banned since the mid-Eighties, the effects of asbestos are being felt today. The toll among victims in construction trades was the first to leave a significant mark since these workers had direct contact with asbestos for long periods in their lives.

More recent cases concern those people who were practically consumers of asbestos products. These include thousands of tons of asbestos used in spray coating on steel work, walls and ceilings, insulation lagging on pipes, on board walls and fire doors and asbestos sheets.

Though sounding a little technical, the asbestos case boils down to one very important and scary factor. There's no cure to it! Risks vary from the possibility of inhaling asbestos fibres that can either scar your lungs to even worse lung cancer or mesothelioma, a lethal chest cancer.

These facts have been around for quite some time, and although governments in Malta, as in other countries, took their time to establish a programme against asbestos, we now face a new challenge and one which could either solve this problem or turn it into our worst nightmare.

The reasons are simple and clear. On one hand, we are yet again facing a construction boom in the renovation industry. This means that buildings which are not necessarily old are being put down to make way for new ones.

Practically all buildings constructed prior to 1990 have asbestos. What kind of precautions are construction companies taking? Are workers on site given any type of protection or instructed to identify asbestos before an edifice is pulled down?

And when the evenual mound of rubble is ready to be disposed of, are asbestos particles taken into consideration, particularly with regard to public commuters?

Another issue is of concern. On deciding to remove asbestos from government-owned industries and buildings, Government must ensure that the companies responsible for the job are fully equipped and are professionals in the field.

It is expected that these companies are vetted to meet international standards and requirements needed. After conducting some basic research in the area, a list of 'what to do' has emerged. People like me who have not only their health at heart but also their loved ones' and the community's in general, should watch out for a written authorisation on how and where material is to be transported and disposed of when a site close to their abode is being cleaned up.

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) must also give a written authorisation for the following requirements:

¤ Area designated as hazardous or restricted

¤ Physically separated and sealed under negative pressure

¤ Full personal protection - red and blue overalls

¤ Daily disposal of contaminated clothing.

Site cleaning is subject to rigorous requirements:

¤ Sealed under negative pressure

¤ Vacuum/HEPA Filters

¤ Material all double-bagged and placed in sealed steel containers

¤ Air locks and specialised showers provided which prevent fibre release into the drains

¤ Full protection and hygiene of all personnel

¤ Full risk assessment

¤ Continual monitoring of fibre levels inside and outside the working area and on the workers involved.

Specialised arrangements for the disposal of the contaminated mater-ial which will currently require it to be exported there being no facility for its safe disposal in Malta.

On the other hand, workers spending time on such an activity should take the trouble to check whether the following risk assessments have been taken into consideration.

Truly, the majority of these workers are males who unfortunately hardly take heed of health precautions. They should check the following:

¤ Danger evaluation and actions

¤ Type of ACM and likely fibre concentrations

¤ Detailed work plan with drawings

¤ Details of exposure control/protection

¤ Details of transport/disposal of ACM

¤ Emergency procedures

¤ Medical certificates for personnel

¤ Details of worker training with certificates

¤ Details of suitably qualified supervision

¤ Continuous monitoring of fibre levels.

If a company responsible for such an exercise does not deliver what was promised in its prospectus, heavy fines should be imposed. Discipline is already a virtue which many Maltese do not possess and don't seem very keen to adopt, but for God's sake, cases involving asbestos are lethal. Why should we bury our children due to lack of concern?