Hamers Solicitors

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral mined from the ground. Its value is to be found in the fact that it can be split up into long and flexible fibres for spinning and weaving or crushed to a powder. It is resistant to heat and acids and because of this has been mainly used in brake pads and as an insulating and cladding material in the construction industry.

There are three main types of asbestos commonly called blue (crocidolite), brown (ammosite) and white (chrysotile). All are dangerous but blue and brown asbestos are known to be more hazardous than white. They cannot be identified by their colour alone.

How can asbestos affect your health?

Asbestos fibres can cause serious health problems when they are breathed in or swallowed. Although the body will get rid of most of the larger fibres that can enter the nose and mouth, tiny fibres can pass into the lower parts of the lung. They can stay there for years and in some cases work their way through into the lung lining.

The delay between first exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease can vary between 10 to 60 years. This is why the majority of those now affected by asbestos disease were exposed to asbestos dust during the 1940's to the late 1980's.