history of asbestos

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Published on 6 August 2005

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral which has been used in a variety of useful products for hundreds of years since Roman times. It is found throughout the world including Africa, Australia, Canada, Russia, the United States of America and China.

Between the 1950’s and 1980’s, asbestos was used in substantial amounts of building projects, products and materials. In addition, most buildings constructed or refurbished within this time period are extremely likely to include asbestos containing materials (ACM’s), particularly in buildings constructed using steel frames.  Steel frames were often coated with asbestos spray for fire protection.

One of the main reasons why asbestos was so popular and widely used was its versatility and cheap production/importation.  Asbestos has various useful properties including the following:

• Resistance to electricity, heat and fire giving asbestos ideal fire-proofing capabilities and insulating properties.

• Fibres can be mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.

• Asbestos will not rot or burn and is relatively impervious to any weather effects, some acids and to vermin.

• Asbestos has a desirable high tensile strength and flexibility.

There are three main types of commercially used asbestos as shown in the following images:

Crocidolite Asbestos (Blue), Raw and Processed

Amosite Asbestos (Brown)

Chrysotile Asbestos (White)

The Risks and Dangers Associated with Asbestos

All forms of asbestos are dangerous and can cause fatal illnesses to which there is no cure, however, blue and brown asbestos products are known to be more dangerous than white asbestos.

Entry into the body is through inhalation into lower parts of the lung and can lay there for years, or can even work their way into the lining of the lung.  Any fibres that may be ingested into the body will be removed naturally by the body; moreover, entry via absorption through the skin is not possible.

Asbestos is made up of tiny fibres that can only be seen under a microscope, which can penetrate deep into the lung and stay there causing respiratory disease or some types of cancer.  The principal asbestos related diseases are that of: asbestosis (fibrosis) scarring of the lungs; mesothelioma - a cancer of the inner lining of the chest wall or abdominal cavity; lung cancer; and diffuse pleural thickening - a non-malignant disease in which the lining of the lung (pleura) becomes scarred.

Present statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) indicate that there are 3500 asbestos related diseases in the United Kingdom per year which is expected to increase dramatically by the end of the decade.  This is mainly attributable to the fact that there is usually a substantial delay between the first exposures of asbestos to the first symptoms of any asbestos related disease, varying from between 10 to 60 years.

Asbestos is safe if left undisturbed, nevertheless, where any project involving asbestos and the removal of asbestos is undertaken, complete awareness and precise controls are required at all times throughout the project, and work should be carried out under the assumption that asbestos will be present unless established otherwise.

John Johnston MIIRSM Grad IOSH - HSfB