Why Automotive Workers Are Still Falling Ill — And What Employers Must Do Now
Decades after the UK banned asbestos from vehicle manufacturing, mechanics and workshop staff are still developing life-changing diseases. Workplace health checks in the automotive industry are not a bureaucratic formality — they are a frontline defence against one of the most persistent occupational hazards in British industry.
If you manage a garage, run a fleet maintenance operation, or oversee a vehicle restoration business, the asbestos risk demands your attention. This post covers how asbestos became embedded in vehicle manufacturing, the diseases it causes, the current legal framework, and exactly what responsible employers should be doing to protect their teams.
How Asbestos Became Standard in Vehicle Manufacturing
From the 1920s through to the 1980s, asbestos was the automotive engineer’s material of choice. It was cheap, widely available, and exceptionally good at handling heat and friction — precisely the demands placed on brake systems and clutch mechanisms.
Car manufacturers integrated asbestos into a wide range of components, often at very high concentrations:
- Brake pads — containing between 35% and 60% asbestos by composition
- Brake linings — some containing up to 65% asbestos fibres
- Clutch plates — used asbestos to manage the intense heat generated during gear changes
- Engine gaskets — sealed gaps between metal components using asbestos sheeting
- Heat shields — protected surrounding parts from engine and exhaust temperatures
- Transmission components — relied on asbestos to manage friction during gear engagement
- Hood liners — provided fire protection in the engine bay
Nothing else available at the time offered the same combination of heat resistance, durability, and low cost. That logic held until the evidence of harm became impossible to ignore.
The Health Consequences for Automotive Workers
The diseases caused by asbestos exposure do not appear overnight. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer typically take 20 to 40 years to develop after initial exposure.
This long latency period is precisely what makes workplace health checks in the automotive industry so critical — by the time symptoms appear, significant and irreversible damage has already been done.
Diseases Linked to Asbestos Exposure in Garages and Workshops
Mechanics who worked on brake and clutch systems during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s were exposed to asbestos dust on a daily basis. Brake dust from that era contained fibres small enough to be inhaled without any sensation at all.
The diseases that result from this kind of chronic, low-level exposure include:
- Mesothelioma — a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen, almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure and carrying a very poor prognosis
- Asbestosis — progressive scarring of lung tissue that causes breathlessness and significantly reduces quality of life
- Pleural plaques — thickening and calcification of the lung lining, a recognised marker of past asbestos exposure
- Pleural thickening — diffuse scarring that restricts breathing capacity
- Lung cancer — risk is significantly elevated in those exposed to asbestos, particularly in smokers
The Risk Does Not Stay in the Garage
Asbestos fibres are extraordinarily light. They cling to clothing, hair, and skin, which means mechanics historically carried the hazard home with them.
Family members — particularly partners who laundered work clothes — have developed mesothelioma through this secondary exposure. Modern garages must treat contaminated workwear as a controlled waste issue, not simply a laundry problem. This is a legal responsibility, not a recommendation.
Current Risks: Why Older Vehicles Still Matter
The UK banned asbestos in new vehicle components in 1999. But that ban applies to new parts — it does not make older vehicles safe. Any car, van, or lorry manufactured before the late 1990s may still contain its original asbestos-containing components.
Classic car restoration, fleet maintenance of older commercial vehicles, and work on imported vehicles from countries where asbestos bans came later all carry genuine exposure risk that cannot be dismissed.
Which Tasks Carry the Highest Risk?
Not all automotive work carries the same level of asbestos risk. The tasks most likely to disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres into the air include:
- Removing or replacing brake pads and linings on pre-1999 vehicles
- Working on clutch assemblies in older cars and light commercial vehicles
- Cutting, grinding, or drilling through gaskets in older engines
- Cleaning brake drums or discs with compressed air — which disperses fibres widely and should never be done
- Handling or disturbing heat shields in older engine bays
Wet suppression methods and specialist vacuum equipment with HEPA filtration are the safe alternatives to compressed air. Any workshop that still uses compressed air to blow out brake dust needs to change that practice immediately.
The Global Picture: Asbestos Still in Use Elsewhere
Whilst the UK and EU have strong bans in place, asbestos remains in active use in vehicle manufacturing in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This matters for UK automotive businesses because vehicles and components imported from these regions may contain asbestos.
Workshops handling imported vehicles or sourcing parts from unregulated markets should not assume that components are asbestos-free without verification. Requesting material safety data sheets and commissioning laboratory testing where necessary are both reasonable and proportionate steps.
Workplace Health Checks in the Automotive Industry: What Good Practice Looks Like
Workplace health checks in the automotive industry are both a legal and moral obligation for any employer whose staff may be exposed to asbestos. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, employers must assess the risk of asbestos exposure, put in place appropriate controls, and ensure workers are monitored where a risk exists.
Health surveillance in this context is not simply an annual questionnaire. It should be a structured programme that includes:
- Pre-employment health screening — establishing a baseline for respiratory health before work begins
- Regular lung function tests — spirometry to track any changes in breathing capacity over time
- Chest X-rays or CT scans — where clinically indicated, particularly for long-serving workers with known historical exposure
- Occupational health assessments — carried out by a qualified occupational health professional, not just a line manager with a checklist
- Symptom reporting systems — clear, accessible routes for workers to report breathlessness, persistent cough, or chest pain without fear of reprisal
HSE guidance, including HSG264, makes clear that where asbestos-containing materials may be present, a suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be carried out before any work begins. For automotive workshops, this means knowing the age and origin of every vehicle before stripping it down.
Training and Awareness for Automotive Workers
Health checks only work if workers understand why they matter. Training should cover how to identify vehicles and components that may contain asbestos, safe working methods including wet suppression and correct PPE use, and what to do if suspected asbestos-containing material is found during a job.
Workers also need to understand the importance of attending health surveillance appointments and how to raise concerns without fear of dismissal. Workers who understand the risk are far more likely to follow safe procedures and to report early symptoms promptly.
The Role of Asbestos Surveys in Automotive Premises
Before focusing entirely on vehicle-level risks, it is worth addressing the buildings themselves. Many garages, workshops, and automotive dealerships in the UK occupy premises built before 2000 — the cut-off date after which asbestos was no longer used in construction materials.
These buildings may contain asbestos in roof panels, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, pipe lagging, and partition boards. Workers drilling into walls to mount equipment, cutting through roof panels for ventilation, or disturbing ceiling tiles during maintenance may be releasing asbestos fibres without anyone realising it.
Which Type of Survey Does Your Premises Need?
For premises used in day-to-day operations, an management survey will identify asbestos-containing materials in areas normally accessed during routine use and feed the results into a formal asbestos register. This is the starting point for any automotive premises that has never been formally assessed.
Where structural work, renovation, or significant maintenance is planned, a refurbishment survey is required before contractors begin work. This is a more intrusive assessment that must be completed in advance of any work that could disturb the fabric of the building.
If a building is being taken down entirely, a demolition survey is a legal requirement. All three survey types must be carried out by a competent, qualified surveyor — and the results must be documented and made available to anyone who may disturb the building fabric, including maintenance contractors.
Regulations Governing Asbestos in the Automotive Sector
The UK’s legal framework on asbestos is among the most robust in the world. The Control of Asbestos Regulations place clear duties on employers, building owners, and those responsible for non-domestic premises.
Key obligations include:
- Identifying whether asbestos is present in the premises
- Assessing the condition of any asbestos-containing materials found
- Producing and maintaining an asbestos register
- Implementing a written asbestos management plan
- Ensuring anyone who may disturb asbestos is informed of its presence and location
- Providing appropriate training to employees
- Arranging health surveillance for workers at risk of exposure
The HSE takes enforcement of these regulations seriously. Failure to comply can result in improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution. The reputational and financial consequences of a serious asbestos incident in a workplace are severe — but they are entirely avoidable with the right approach.
Environmental Responsibilities for Automotive Businesses
Asbestos in the automotive sector is not only a human health issue — it is an environmental one. Brake dust from asbestos-containing components historically contaminated soil and water sources near busy roads and in areas where old vehicles were broken up.
In the UK, asbestos waste must be disposed of as controlled waste under the relevant environmental regulations. It cannot be placed in general skips or mixed with other workshop waste. Licensed waste carriers must be used, and appropriate documentation must be kept.
Automotive businesses that handle old vehicles — particularly breakers’ yards, restoration workshops, and fleet disposal operations — need written procedures for identifying, handling, and disposing of asbestos-containing components safely. Ignorance of the rules is not a defence.
Purchasing Controls: Protecting Your Workshop from the Supply Chain
One of the less obvious risks in the modern automotive sector is the supply chain itself. Whilst UK and EU regulations prohibit asbestos in new vehicle components, parts sourced from outside regulated markets may not meet the same standards.
Responsible purchasing controls should include:
- Requesting declarations of conformity and material safety data sheets from suppliers
- Avoiding unverified parts from markets where asbestos bans are not enforced
- Commissioning laboratory analysis of suspect components where there is any doubt
- Maintaining records of parts sourcing so that any future concerns can be traced
This is especially relevant for workshops that specialise in older or imported vehicles, where the provenance of replacement parts may be unclear.
Asbestos Surveys for Automotive Businesses Across the UK
Supernova Asbestos Surveys works with automotive businesses of all sizes across the country. Whether you operate a single-bay garage or a multi-site fleet maintenance operation, the obligation to manage asbestos in your premises is the same.
If your premises are in the capital, our asbestos survey London service covers garages, workshops, and dealerships across all London boroughs. For businesses in the North West, our asbestos survey Manchester team operates across Greater Manchester and the surrounding region. In the Midlands, our asbestos survey Birmingham service covers automotive premises throughout the city and wider West Midlands area.
With over 50,000 surveys completed nationwide, our surveyors understand the specific challenges that automotive premises present — from the age and construction of older workshop buildings to the particular risks associated with pit areas, spray booths, and mezzanine storage.
Building an Asbestos Management Culture in Your Workshop
Compliance with the law is the floor, not the ceiling. The most responsible automotive employers go further — embedding asbestos awareness into induction training, toolbox talks, and day-to-day supervision.
A genuine management culture around asbestos means that every member of staff, from the apprentice on the workshop floor to the service manager, understands what asbestos is, where it might be found, and what to do if they encounter it. It means that health surveillance appointments are treated as seriously as MOT deadlines, and that near-misses involving suspected asbestos are reported and investigated rather than quietly ignored.
The vehicles in your workshop are not the only source of risk. The building around them may be equally hazardous — and that hazard is entirely manageable with the right survey, the right documentation, and the right training in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are workplace health checks in the automotive industry a legal requirement?
Yes. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, employers must arrange health surveillance for workers who are at risk of asbestos exposure. In automotive workplaces where staff work on older vehicles or in buildings that may contain asbestos, this obligation applies directly. Health surveillance must be carried out by a qualified occupational health professional and records must be maintained.
Which vehicles are most likely to contain asbestos-containing components?
Any vehicle manufactured before the late 1990s may contain original asbestos-containing brake pads, linings, clutch plates, gaskets, or heat shields. The risk is highest with vehicles built before the mid-1980s, when asbestos use was at its peak. Imported vehicles from countries where asbestos bans came later — or have not been introduced at all — may also contain asbestos regardless of their age.
Does my garage building need an asbestos survey?
If your premises were built before 2000, there is a reasonable likelihood that asbestos-containing materials are present somewhere in the building fabric. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, those responsible for non-domestic premises have a duty to manage asbestos. This begins with a suitable survey carried out by a qualified surveyor, followed by a formal asbestos register and management plan.
What should I do if a mechanic finds suspected asbestos during a job?
Work should stop immediately in the affected area. The material should not be disturbed further, and the area should be cordoned off until the suspected asbestos-containing material can be sampled and tested by a qualified analyst. Staff should be informed of the situation, and any workers who may have been exposed should be referred to occupational health. The incident should be documented as part of your health and safety records.
How often should automotive workers undergo health surveillance?
The frequency of health surveillance depends on the level and nature of the exposure risk. As a general principle, workers with known or likely asbestos exposure should be assessed at least annually, with more frequent monitoring where the risk is higher or where previous assessments have identified changes in lung function. Your occupational health provider will advise on the appropriate schedule based on individual risk profiles and workplace conditions.
Speak to Supernova About Your Automotive Premises
If you manage an automotive business and you are not certain whether your premises have been properly assessed for asbestos, now is the time to act. Supernova Asbestos Surveys has completed over 50,000 surveys across the UK and works with businesses in every sector, including automotive workshops, garages, dealerships, and fleet maintenance facilities.
Call us on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk to find out which survey type is right for your premises and to get a quote from our qualified team.