The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is offering free training for workers from garages and workshops in a bid to drive down occupational asthma amongst bodywork paint sprayers.

In the latest of an on-going national campaign, the HSE has teamed up with Milton Keynes Council, where the safety awareness day will be held, to offer training to companies in the Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire areas.

Mike Gibb, HSE Principal Inspector says: “HSE wants employers to take sensible and reasonable steps to minimize the chances of people becoming ill or hurt at work. We don’t like to see people suffer, and we urge as many paint sprayers as possible to contact us to reserve a space at the free event.”

Paint sprayers in vehicle bodyshops are 80 times more likely to develop work-related asthma than the rest of the working population. There are an estimated 1,500 cases of work-related asthma every year and isocyanates contained in two-pack paints are one of its biggest causes.

The Safety Awareness Day will take place at Milton Keynes Council, Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, on Monday, March 27 and includes a free buffet lunch. Those interested can attend either a morning or an afternoon session, with lunch provided before or after the training at 12.30pm.

To book a place at this event, businesses should contact Nick Hewitson at the Health and Safety Executive before March 24 on: 01582 444 319.