Asbestos disease compensation claims are still being made by people who were exposed at work, many years ago. There were 2595 deaths from mesothelioma in 2016 and an estimated similar number of people died from asbestos related lung cancer in the same year.
Asbestos has brought death and misery to many thousands of workers and their families worldwide. The reason it is still doing so, long after it was banned in the UK, is because it takes a long time for asbestos-related illnesses to develop and be diagnosed. The period between being exposed to the mineral’s deadly dust and fibres, and being diagnosed with asbestos-related disease can be anything up to 50 years. The average period is around 35 years. This time-lapse is called the ‘latency period’.
Why was asbestos considered so useful?
Asbestos was widely used in industry because it was a cheap, hugely effective and versatile material which had uses in many different industrial settings due to its heat resistant and fire-retardant properties. It was also an extremely strong material.
The range of industries using asbestos products was very wide – from shipyards to railway engineering yards, from power stations to building construction. Those who worked in occupations where they were frequently exposed to asbestos containing materials, were at risk of developing lung conditions due to the dust and fibres produced. Some of these workers might not have known at the time that they were being exposed. Certainly, few, if any, would have had any idea how dangerous it was to their health. Rarely if at all, were workers provided with any type of face mask, which would have reduced the risk to them, from the effects of the dust they were inhaling.
What is asbestos?
It is a naturally occurring type of fibrous mineral.
There are six different types but the three most commonly used in the UK were Crocidolite, Amosite, and Chrysotile.
Crocidolite
This is also referred to as ‘blue asbestos’ and is extremely dangerous to the health of anyone unfortunate enough to work with it. It is extremely toxic. This is in no small part caused by the fact that the fibres are shaped like short needles. They are more easily breathed in than other types of asbestos fibres but more difficult to expel from the lungs in the course of breathing out. They cause a lot of damage to the lungs, due to their needle-like fibres scratching the lining of the lungs.
The main use of crocidolite in the UK was as a spray-on thermal insulation material. It was also used (among other things) for the following;
– Boiler insulation
– Pipe lagging
– Fire protection
– Cement products
– Woven textiles
– Ceiling tiles
– Insulating boards
– Common usage in the marine industry
– Caulking – the process (and material) used in sealing joints
– Cigarette filter. “Kent Micronite” – manufactured between 1952 and 1956.
Amosite
The name amosite refers to the fact that it was first mined by the ‘Asbestos Mines of South Africa’.
It is more often called ‘brown asbestos.’
It is another highly dangerous form of the mineral. It was commonly used in the manufacture of;
– Structural steel
– Insulating boards (for insulating against sound travel).
Chrysotile
This is known as ‘white asbestos’ and was the most commonly used type in the UK. It had a wide commercial use and was significantly present in cement. It only ceased to be used at the end of 1999. Chrysotile fibres were soft and fine. Chrysotile was often used for weaving and spinning. Although not as strong as other types of the mineral, it was more heat resistant.
Chrysotile was the least harmful type and made up over 90% of all asbestos used in the UK. The fibres were easier to expel from the lungs when breathing out. Nevertheless, chrysotile is linked to deaths from both lung cancer and mesothelioma.
As well as cement, it was used to make gaskets, roof coating and friction materials (because of its heat resistant properties).
When was asbestos banned in the UK?
The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1985 – The two deadliest types – blue (crocidolite) and brown (amosite) were banned from being both used and imported.
The Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 – This piece of legislation finally ended the use and import into the UK of all types of asbestos when it declared that the use of the white form (chrysotile) was to be banned as of the 24th November 1999.
There has been much written about asbestos and its effects on the health of those who worked with it raise many questions. For example, how long had the ‘authorities’ around the world known about asbestos’ lethal effects, before it eventually became common knowledge in the wider public domain? Even then, why did the UK government not ban asbestos until the mid-80s and late 90s? Deaths from mesothelioma in the UK are high when compared to other countries and this is thought to be connected to the fact that the UK allowed the use of asbestos for longer than most countries.
Sadly, new cases of asbestosis, mesothelioma, pleural thickening and asbestos lung cancer are still being diagnosed – this for men and women who were exposed 20 to 50 years ago. The cruel sting in the tail of these diseases is that the long latency period (the length of time after exposure before the damage to the lungs manifests itself in an asbestos-related disease) means that victims often do not get diagnosed until the later stages of their natural lives, thus depriving them and their families of a peaceful and happy retirement.
At Asbestosawareness.org.uk, we work with some of the best and most dedicated asbestos and mesothelioma solicitors in England and Wales. We are a trading name of Bridge McFarland LLP where highly experienced asbestos disease solicitors Leanne Keating and James Burrell are partners.
If you worked with asbestos, even if it was long ago and you have recently been diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness or if you have chest or breathing problems, that can’t otherwise be explained away, then first, you should contact your GP.
Next, call our asbestos disease specialists at Asbestosawareness.org.uk on 0800 987 8809. Your call will be answered by an experienced asbestos disease solicitor, who will FREE OF CHARGE, provide you with practical advice as to what you should do next and give you some indication as to whether you might have reasonable grounds for making an asbestos compensation claim. Call now on 0800 987 8809 or if you prefer, contact us online and we’ll get straight back to you.
