Tradies will be warned to always check for asbestos before starting jobs, in an awareness campaign that will hit airwaves next week.

Inhaling asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining around the lungs.

The latest statistics from the Australian Mesothelioma Register reveal that an estimated 60 per cent of mesothelioma cases are due to asbestos exposure in the workplace.

There were at least 95 mesothelioma deaths in Victoria in 2016 and 145 new cases of the disease.
​
WorkSafe Acting Director of Health and Safety, Paul Fowler, said although many tradies knew asbestos posed a significant health risk, many did not know how to identify it.