Hidden Killer asbestos ads banned as misleading

London - The Advertising Standards Authority has banned five radio ads (see below) for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warning of the dangers of asbestos exposure to tradesmen. The decision followed a complaint from The Asbestos Watchdog over the accuracy of claims in the 'Hidden Killer' adverts that more people die each year from exposure to asbestos than in road accidents.

The radio ads were part of a large, wide-reaching campaign which the HSE had run since the introduction of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations in 2002. The campaign aimed to warn building owners, and those members of the workforce most likely to be exposed to asbestos, of the risks posed by the inhalation of asbestos fibres.

HSE calculated the basis for the disputed claims by firstly counting the number of male and female death certificates that quoted mesothelioma - a form of cancer where the main cause is recognised as being inhalation of asbestos fibres - as the cause of death in 2004, 2005 and 2006: 1979, 2047 and 2056 respectively, and then estimating and adding on the number of male and female deaths caused by lung cancer attributable to asbestos exposure.

HSE explained that, because lung cancer deaths caused by asbestos were clinically indistinguishable from those caused by other factors, such as tobacco, the number of those deaths had to be estimated. It, therefore, commissioned research to calculate those estimates which showed a ratio of one asbestos-related lung cancer death to every mesothelioma death for the period 1980 to 2000. It added that a number of people died from other asbestos-related, non-cancerous diseases every year, such as asbestosis which killed 111 people in 2006.

Using these figures and the ratio of 1:1, HSE concluded that around 4000 people died from asbestos-related cancer every year between 2004 and 2006. HSE then compared those figures to figures published by the Department for Transport which showed there were approximately 3200 road deaths every year between 2004 and 2006.

However, the ASA ruled that the HSE had calculated the number of mesothelioma deaths by counting the number of death certificates that quoted that disease as the cause of death in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Meanwhile, the research on behalf of HSE which showed that a ratio of one asbestos-related lung cancer death to every mesothelioma death, was based on estimates and that this ratio may be decreasing.

Moreover, the figures used for the ads included deaths of workers born before 1940, who were likely to have come into contact with blue asbestos before its use was banned in 1975. Tradesmen were, today, were less likely to be exposed to blue asbestos and therefore did not face the same degree of risk.

The ASA, therefore, considered that the ads should have made clear that they were based on estimates and ruled that: "The references to the number of tradesmen that would die each week in ads were misleading ... because they believed they were based on flawed calculations and exaggerated the likelihood of tradesmen contracting an asbestos-related disease."

Commenting on the ASA's decision, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "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.

"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."

* The HSE adverts

The first radio ad stated "Day in and day out, countless tradesmen confront a hidden killer. A killer that could be lurking in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000. Every year there are more people killed by asbestos, than in road accidents, including joiners, electricians, plumbers, heating engineers and plasterers."

The second ad stated "Any second now, this joiner will come face to face with a hidden killer by cutting into a wall panel that contains asbestos. And one day, the effects will kill him. Every year more people die from exposure to asbestos than in road accidents and that includes six joiners every week."

The third ad stated "He doesn't know it but this electrician is about to confront a hidden killer by drilling into a wall that contains asbestos.And one day, the effects will kill him. Every year more people die from exposure to asbestos than in road accidents including six electricians every week."

The fourth ad stated "He has no idea but this plumber will soon face a hidden killer. By replacing old piping under these floorboards, he'll be exposed to asbestos. And one day, the effects will kill him. Every year more people die from exposure to asbestos than in road accidents, including three plumbers every week."

The fifth ad stated in a female voice-over "My bloke thinks he knows it all. But yesterday I told him something that made him think about asbestos and how you can still find it in anything built before 2000. He's a plasterer so he could come into contact with it. He actually said he'd look into it to check if it's in any of the buildings he's working in. So, there you go. Sometimes they do listen." A male voiceover continued "Every week, 20 tradesmen die from asbestos exposure. Call 0845 ... for your free Health and Safety Executive information pack."