Info About...Construction

Asbestos is a silicate mineral which forms naturally with long and think fabric crystals. Asbestos first became popular amongst people in the manufacturing and building sector, this was because of asbestos' ability to with stand heat and both chemically and electrical damage. In the past asbestos has been used for a number of things, for example the use of asbestos in buildings is highly common due to its flame retardant and strength abilities.

However asbestos is extremely toxic and had been linked to illnesses such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Due to this very common link between asbestos and a number of illnesses the use of asbestos has since been banned from a number of developing countries.

During the 1860s asbestos use became extremely popular in the US and Canada, and the first asbestos mine was built in 1879. Around the mid 20th century the uses of asbestos had grown rapidly with it now being used for the majority of heat related equipment. Its been estimated that around 100,000 people in the US have died for asbestos related illnesses due to the use of it during ship building.

It was in the 1900s that doctors first started to relate early deaths due to lung cancer and mesothelioma in mining towns to asbestos, and the first diagnosis of asbestosis was in 1924 in the UK. The UK made people aware of asbestosis around 10 years before the US, this is something the US have been heavily criticised for.

Although the use of asbestos is now banned in a number of developing countries such as Australia and the European Union, it is still used in construction. Before the ban asbestos was a common feature in a high number of construction jobs. In China and India asbestos use is still massive, with the most common usage being asbestos cement sheets that they use for roofing and walls on housing, school and factories.

Welcome

• Welcome to Info About Construction, a look at the practices, skills and techniques used in the construction industry.