Asbestos may now be banned but the fatal fibres could still be lurking in up to 1.5 million shops, factories and offices across the UK, said the TUC as it launched a major new safety drive aimed at preventing more workers from being exposed to the killer substance which currently claims 4,000 lives a year.

On 27 February, on Action Mesothelioma Day, a million 'Asbestos Kills' stickers and thousands of leaflets have been sent to workplaces up and down the country, so that union safety reps can do more to stop employers needlessly exposing their staff to asbestos at work.

Since May 2004, employers have been required by law to find out about and keep thorough records of the presence of asbestos on their premises, carry out regular inspections, and make sure that all employees know where the fatal fibres are, and receive training on the risks they pose.

But the TUC believes many employers are either unaware of their legal obligations or are simply choosing to ignore them. And with the average workplace getting a visit from a safety inspector on average only once every 8 - 20 years, negligent employers can be safe in the knowledge that they are unlikely ever to get found out.

But with figures predicting that within 10 years the UK will see 10,000 deaths a year from asbestos-related diseases - of which mesothelioma is just one - the TUC wants union safety reps to make sure that no-one else's health is jeopardised because of employer carelessness.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "All forms of asbestos are dangerous, no matter what some employers might say. The cancers caused by the killer fibres can take years to develop, so someone who breathes in asbestos dust now may not become ill for another 25 years.

"We don't want to see any more people exposed to asbestos in future. The new stickers and leaflets should help focus the minds of careless employers, and minimise exposure for those maintenance and construction workers most at risk."

• More details on the TUC Campaign