The Financial Times estimates 700,000 businesses across the United Kingdom may not meet new regulations designed to combat workplace asbestos.

An independent survey conducted by Lighthouse Global suggests more than half of businesses have not carried out asbestos assessments and more than a third have not even heard of the new regulations.

The new regulations, which will take effect May 21, require every business to carry out an asbestos assessment on their properties. If asbestos is found, corrective legal action will be taken. The legislation was introduced in October of 2002 to protect employees from the largest single cause of work-related deaths in the UK.