Asbestos Victim Advice Legal advice from 
solicitors LLP
Call back request or call: 0800 294 3065
Asbestos Victim Advice Legal advice from solicitors LLP
Call back request or call: 0800 294 3065
Asbestos was very common as a construction and manufacturing material particularly in the 1950's and 1960's. It was widely used because of its unique heat and chemical resistant qualities. There are three main types of asbestos that have been used in this country, brown (amosite), blue (crocidolite) and white (chrysotile). However from the late 1880's it was realised that asbestos was very damaging to health. Astonishingly, the truth about the dangers of asbestos were hidden by governments and employers. It was not until 1999 that asbestos was finally banned from this country.
Shipyard workers, dockers, railway workers, insulation engineers, plumbers, joiners, roofers, labourers, engineers and maintenance fitters are all examples of people who are likely to have been exposed to asbestos in the past. People living close to asbestos factories and families of people who brought asbestos fibres home on their clothing have also developed asbestos related diseases.
Asbestos damages health when the fibres are inhaled into the lungs. The fine fibres penetrate the lung tissue and are not removed by the body's natural defences. The body then attempts to break down the fibres causing inflammation. This process leads to the development of asbestos related diseases such as those listed above. Fibres also cause damage when swallowed. A fibre can stick to the lining of the intestines and move into the lining of the abdomen. The fibres can also penetrate the skin causing irritation and reddening.
People who were exposed to asbestos do not always go on to develop asbestos-related diseases. It is generally thought that the longer you have been exposed to asbestos, the more likely you are to develop an asbestos related disease. There is usually a long period of time between exposure and the disease becoming evident, this can be from 10 to 50 or more years depending upon the type of disease.