Need to know about Asbestos ?

Asbestos occurs in nature and has been used by people for its very special properties since the times of the ancient Greeks. Although nowadays it is recognised as an extremely dangerous material that is capable of causing severe and often fatal disease, even the ancient Greeks recognised some of its dangers.

The reason asbestos is so dangerous is because of its physical structure. The material is fibrous, and asbestos dust consists mainly of microfibers that can become lodged in the lung when inhaled. These fibres damage the cells of the membrane that lines the lung and it is this damage that can cause various cancers and other respiratory conditions.

There are two forms of cancer that are associated with asbestos. These are mesothelioma and bronchial cancer. The former is a cancer of the mesothelium which is the lung lining. The non-cancerous conditions associated with asbestos exposure are asbestosis and pleural thickening. These diseases can be very disabilitating and there is always the danger that they might develop into cancer or mesothelioma sometime in the future.

It is shameful that industry made so little effort to protect the workers from exposure to asbestos dust. It is not as though the dangers were recently discovered; in fact even the ancient Greeks recognised that slaves who wove the material into cloth were subject to dreadful diseases of the lung. In more modern times the fact that exposure to asbestos represented serious health problems was reported in the late eighteen hundreds.

It was not until the 1930's that any precautions were taken to protect workers from the effects of the material. The first asbestos claim dates back to 1933. Despite this the industry fought a rearguard action, claiming that the material was not dangerous. This has analogies with the more recent actions of the tobacco industry.

The battle between industrial profits and issues concerning the health of asbestos workers continued until recent times. It was not until the 1980's that the industry really tidied up its act. Asbestos remains a lurking menace as there can be a considerable delay between exposure and onset of the disease. -- Anyone who has ever been exposed to asbestos and is experiencing any of the symptoms of asbestos related diseases, or anyone with a family member who is doing so, should ensure that the condition is thoroughly investigated by an experienced mesothleioma solicitor without delay. Six figure asbestos compensation payouts are not a rarity so speak to an expert without delay. Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Asbestos: a History of Asbestos Exposure

Although asbestos became a popular engineering material during the seventeen hundreds, its special heat resistant properties had been known for a long time. In the present day we recognise that exposure to asbestos can pose a severe threat to health and consequently it is rarely, if ever, used in industrial processes.

The danger is due to the fibrous nature of the material. Asbestos fibres break up into microfibers that are just the right size to get trapped in the lung when asbestos dust is inhaled. Once there, they do considerable damage to surrounding cells, often causing them to start cancers. The always fatal cancer is known as mesothelioma, and the nearly always fatal cancer is the same cancer that is associated with smoking. Less serious, though highly disabling, diseases associated with inhaling asbestos dust are asbestosis and pleural scaring.

Even the ancient Greeks were a little concerned that their slaves who worked with asbestos were subject to breathing difficulties, and the risks of the material were certainly recognised during the days of the industrial revolution. Gradually governments became aware of the dangers, and during the nineteen thirties some preventative measures were taken. Once it had been recognised that there were dangers associated with the material, mesothelioma compensation (mesothelioma is a disease of the lung associated with breathing asbestos fibres) claims followed. These were vigorously opposed by the asbestos industry which continued to maintain that their workers were not subjected to unreasonable dangers. The battle continued for many years, in fact until recent times; however the use and disposal of asbestos is now controlled strictly by legislation.

-- One of the worrying aspects about asbestos exposure is the length of time it can take after exposure before onset of the related illnesses. This can make it quite difficult for someone who has been exposed to asbestos in various jobs, who has subsequently become ill as a result, to claim asbestos compensation. It is important that anyone finding themselves in such a position should seek legal advice without delay. Source: http://www.articletrader.com