1erTrimestre12 | PROTECCIÓN LABORAL 70  Tribuna Coping with the impact of asbestos on workers During almost the entire twentieth century, asbestos was one of the most used buil- ding materials worldwide. Its excellent insulating properties, chemical, mechanical and heat and flame resistance, as well as its low price, made it possible the presen- ce of asbestos not only in industry but also at home where it became very common. the possible existence of asbestos in order to take the right preventive measures. Osalan Report Osalan has prepared a Report on the Pres- ence of Asbestos in the Autonomous Com- munity of Euskadi to have reliable data that allow us to face the situation realisti- cally. The report, submitted on February 22 during a Techno-Medical Conference, involved various experts. With the writing of this report, we continue our outreach and awareness of the dangers that asbestos has for workers: diseases that cause greater loss of working days and more suffering than accidents at work. Although it might seem that the battle against asbestos is already won and that it belongs to the past, there is still a long way to go, especially because it is very likely that in the coming years will multiply the diagnosis of carcinoma and mesothelioma associated with exposure to this material. Moreover, we have to consider the fact that many of the affected workers will find seri- ous difficulties in obtaining compensation or damages through civil path (the only one possible as the majority of cases of infringement have already prescribed). In addition, most companies that used asbestos without the use of proper protec- tive materials have disappeared or are insolvent. That’s why Osalan has spent many years working to enforce regulatory provisions on post-occupational health controls and the adoption of measures facilitating the worker’ access to his medical work records at all times. We should not forget that asbestos is still present in our lives to a greater or lesser extent and that more work is needed to enforce the normative range we have at our reach both domesti- cally and internationally. *Pilar Collantes Ibáñez. General Manager of Osalan. Work Organization Expert. Pilar Collantes Ibáñez* Despite all these benefits in terms of quality and price, the situation changed when, during the eighties, was established and confirmed a direct link between asbestos and serious diseases such as lung cancer, malignant mesothelio- ma and asbestosis among others. The fact that asbestos fibers did not pro- voke injuries instantly caused a delay of so many years in discovering its harmfulness. Fortunately, the authorities forbade its use and normatively regulated not only asbestos uses but also the procedures to fol- low when it was necessary to dismantle facilities where this material was present. The Spanish case In 1984 was established the first blue asbestos ban, followed by the brown one almost a decade later. The last major step in this direction was taken in 2001 when Spain got ahead of the deadline set by the European Union to ban the marketing and use of chrysotile or white asbestos. Although in many cases were not obtained the properties of asbestos, quick- ly were found alternative technologies such as PVC pipes, galvanized corrugated sheets or painted aluminum plates. Thus, the problem was solved in newly built facilities. However, the seriousness of the situation forced to establish strict and restraining guidelines on how to proceed to remove the asbestos. For that, in 2006 was adopted the Real Decreto 396/2006, setting up the minimum safety and health requirements for work involving the risk of exposure to asbestos. It allowed regulat- ing key issues such as the obligation to develop a work plan, training and health needs of workers and the necessary risk assessments. The strict compliance with these work plans is vital to prevent in coming decades workers continue developing diseases related to contact with asbestos fibers. The construction sector, which is the most in contact with the mineral, should engage in occupational hygiene. Hence it is imper- ative, when beginning a work, analyzing 141