What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral which is mined in Canada, Russia, China and South Africa. The term asbestos encompasses two groups of minerals – serpentine and amphiboles. The most common example of the serpentine group is chrysotile (white asbestos).
Asbestos has been in use since the late 1800s but its use increased greatly during World War II. Since then it has been used in many industries. For example, the building industry uses asbestos for strengthening cement and plastics, as well as for insulation, fireproofing and sound absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to insulate boilers, steam pipes, hot water pipes and nuclear reactors in ships.
The car manufacturing industry has used asbestos in vehicle brake shoes and clutch pads. More than 5,000 products contain or have contained asbestos. Plumbers, laggers, electricians, building workers, heating engineers, joiners and garage workers are just some of the occupations that may have been exposed to asbestos.
What Diseases are caused by Asbestos?
There are a number of diseases caused by Asbestos. One of the reasons this website has been developed is to explain the types of diseases, symptoms to look out for and possible claims you could pursue should you contract a related disease.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some diseases show no symptoms for many years.
If you have been in contact with Asbestos and are concerned about the likelihood of contracting a disease, contact our advice helpline today on 0844 414 0974.
To find out more about the diseases caused by exposure to Asbestos, follow the links: