What are the dangers of Asbestos Exposure

Large-scale use of asbestos was not prevalent by industry until the out break of the Second World War in 1939. Environmental pressure forced laws through in the 70's the constrained the use of asbestos in industry.

Industry was faced by more tightening of the regulations in the way in which it could use asbestos after the EPA issued more laws curtailing the use of asbestos in the 1980's. There are probably not many people in the modern world who are not aware of the dangers of inhaling asbestos.

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in nature in fibre bundles. Asbestos has amazing fire and chemical resistance, coupled with the fact that it is not a conductor of electricity. Manufacturing was more than eager to use asbestos in its products due to its heat and chemical properties.

Asbestos products include brake shoes and clutch pads for automobiles, insulation for boilers and steam pipes on ships, and strengthening agents for cement and talc-based crayons. The construction industry found many uses for asbestos, as tiles, in paints and adhesive. There are legal uses of asbestos, where it can be proven that asbestos will not be able to contaminate the environment then that use is considered legal.

Exposure to asbestos is serious; the health risks associated with asbestos are high because some of the illnesses caused by asbestos are incurable. One of the commonest ailments caused by exposure to asbestos is asbestosis, which is inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos fibres.

Another source of asbestos litigation is for mesothelioma, which is a cancer that develops in the protective lining of the body's major organs. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, pericardial mesothelioma affects the heart.

Asbestos became more widespread during the industrial revolution; in the 1860s it was used as insulation in the U.S. and Canada, this is long before the modern world recognised the hazards of asbestos. In the late 1970s court documents proved that asbestos industry officials knew of the dangers of asbestos exposure and tried to conceal them.

As the level of litigation for compensation for asbestos exposure increased, its use has reduced dramatically. Follow the right safety guidelines and it is legal for manufacturers to use asbestos.

The author of this web articles has written many other articles about asbestos. If you are interested you can find links to some of their other work below.

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