Asbestos is a fibrous material that occurs naturally and has been used for centuries; since Roman times, in fact. The material has a number of useful properties that have been used in construction for many years. Historians would leave us to believe that as much as 6 million tonnes of asbestos has been excavated over the years from countries far and wide, including China, Africa, USA, Canada and Russia to name but a few.
'Asbestos' is the commercial name given to the material, yet this is not its geological name. Asbestos is usually found in three main forms; blue, brown and white (also known as chrysotile), although there are several other forms of the material.
Asbestos has been popular in years gone by for a number of reasons. It is mainly used for its resilience to heat, electricity currents, its sound proofing capabilities and its resistance to chemical, vermin and insect attacks. All of these qualities make them perfect for construction and as such it was included in cements and coating sprays. But over the years it became apparent that the very properties that make asbestos so useful also make it dangerous to the health. It was found that asbestos fibres caused diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma if inhaled.
As such, the Control of Asbestos Regulations were brought into action in November 2006. These regulations were brought in to replace the previous three sets of regulations, which covered the prohibition of asbestos, the control of asbestos at work and the licensing of asbestos products. Asbestos related illnesses are the single biggest occupational hazard ever encountered in the UK.
The effects of asbestos inhalation very rarely take shape immediately. They usually take anywhere between 10 and 60 years to effect the health. This means that although buildings no longer use asbestos in their construction today, the full effects of being in contact with asbestos in the past could still surface.
'Asbestos' is the commercial name given to the material, yet this is not its geological name. Asbestos is usually found in three main forms; blue, brown and white (also known as chrysotile), although there are several other forms of the material.
Asbestos has been popular in years gone by for a number of reasons. It is mainly used for its resilience to heat, electricity currents, its sound proofing capabilities and its resistance to chemical, vermin and insect attacks. All of these qualities make them perfect for construction and as such it was included in cements and coating sprays. But over the years it became apparent that the very properties that make asbestos so useful also make it dangerous to the health. It was found that asbestos fibres caused diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma if inhaled.
As such, the Control of Asbestos Regulations were brought into action in November 2006. These regulations were brought in to replace the previous three sets of regulations, which covered the prohibition of asbestos, the control of asbestos at work and the licensing of asbestos products. Asbestos related illnesses are the single biggest occupational hazard ever encountered in the UK.
The effects of asbestos inhalation very rarely take shape immediately. They usually take anywhere between 10 and 60 years to effect the health. This means that although buildings no longer use asbestos in their construction today, the full effects of being in contact with asbestos in the past could still surface.
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You could be eligible for a mesothelioma compensation claim if you've been affected by asbestos.