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International seminar to analyse
the risks of asbestos
Sponsored by the European Economic and
Social Committee (EESC) and the Commit-
tee of the Regions (CoR), a seminar entitled
“Freeing Europe safely from asbestos” was
held last 24 June in Brussels.
Asbestos consists of a group of natural mi-
nerals found in the environment as fibres
that can be separated into thin and long-
lasting threads which are resistant to heat,
fire, and chemical substances and are not
able to conduct electricity.
Inhalation of these fibres is the cause of a
disease known as asbestosis.
The European Federation of Building and
Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the organiza-
tion of the European Construction Industry
Federation (FIEC), of which Cristina Hergue-
das, the manager of FCC Construcción’s
Joint Prevention Service, is the chairman of
the Safety and Health Committee, partici-
pated in the seminar jointly with the Belgian
Asbestos Victims’ Group (ABEVA) and the
international Ban Asbestos Secretariat.
Cristina García Herguedas participated in
the panel discussion: ”Energy efficiency,
safe management and removal of asbestos
from old buildings and workers’ training”,
and explained that in the European Union
there are clear and strict laws affecting
companies involved in the elimination of
asbestos which describes the obligations
of businessmen in training, prevention and
protection measures, and health monito-
ring.
She shared experiences and good prac-
tices in the work involving the removal of
asbestos.