Asbestos, once hailed as the best and reliable building material available to the construction industries. The properties of being fire resistant, tensile strength, durability, flexibility and heat insulation made it popular since these properties meant that it could save lives and strengthen buildings. The evidence of the first use of asbestos was about 2000 years ago by the Greeks who firmly believed that its fire withstanding properties were too good to let go in spite of the health hazards it posed. The Greeks, in those times knew that asbestos caused health problems.



These health hazards were long forgotten until the turn of the 20th century. The medical research community observed too many unnatural and mistimed deaths in asbestos mining towns in the USA during the beginning of the First World War.

1924 saw the first diagnosis of Asbestosis in a 33 year old woman which led to further studies in the UK on asbestos workers. Research pointed to the fact that more than 30% of the workers in the asbestos industry suffered from lung diseases. This led to the government introducing laws to provide better ventilation and identification of asbestosis as a work related illness in 1931.

Asbestos has been manufactured in over 100 countries and used in over 24 countries worldwide well into the 20th century despite its relationship to the cause of asbestosis. The mind-blowing act that more than 5 million tones of asbestos was manufactured annually in the mid 20th century proves the utter disregard that the producers had for their employees and workers. Shipping, demolition, insulation and building industrial conglomerates failed to take adequate precautions and preventive measures to protect their workforce from workplace injury.

The effects of asbestosis are not apparent immediately. They take time to manifest and unveil the havoc. Diagnosis is often difficult and takes time by which the disease is rendered incurable. Since the height of asbestos usage was in 1960s and 70s, many asbestos workers are awaiting their fate with asbestosis and more and more cases are coming to the fore now.

The victims of asbestosis are entitled to compensation for irregularities of their companies in providing safer working conditions which has left them exposed to the harmful effects of asbestos years ago.

It is advisable that any victims get in touch with an experienced asbestos related solicitor at their earliest to get the right compensation and rebuild their future.