As early as the first century AD, Romans and Greeks already knew that slaves working with asbestos cloth were developing lung problems. The production of asbestos as a commercial and domestic insulation material began around 125 years ago. It was determined that asbestos caused health problems only one generation after its inception as a common insulator. Reports in Britain dating from 1898 indicate that it was not difficult to determine the health risks posed by asbestos. It is believed that the first study of workers dying from exposure to asbestos occurred in France and involved people who worked with asbestos alone or asbestos mixed with cotton.

In London during the early 1990’s, Dr. H. Montague Murray performed an autopsy on a person who worked in an asbestos factory. Dr Montague determined and reported that there was asbestos in the lungs which either caused or contributed to the death of the factory worker.

In the United States, the first studies did fully link asbestos exposure to disease. Additional studies were performed which established the link between exposure to asbestos and disease.

In 1924 in Britain, the occupational hazards involved with asbestos became more widely known. A doctor presented cases involving people who worked with asbestos and were suffering and dying from various health conditions. It was determined that a quarter of the people who worked in the asbestos textile industry had pulmonary fibrosis.

In 1927, the first claim for workers’ compensation was made in the U.S. An autopsy of a person that suffering from asbestos was performed in 1930, and was later exhibited by a doctor from the Mayo Clinic.

In 1930, an official at Johns-Manville created a memo that was meant for the internal company regarding medical reports of workers who died after being exposed to asbestos. Asbestos manufacturing companies became infamous for hiding the real dangers of asbestos dust during this time.

In the 1940’s, an internal Owens-Corning corporate memo referenced medical literature on asbestosis, and the various skin and lung hazards associated with asbestos.

In 1951, when research was reported linking asbestos to disease, many companies who manufactured and used asbestos would remove references to cancer. The companies did not want the dangers of exposure to asbestos to become public knowledge since this would affect the sales of their product.

In 1989, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase out Rule, which was later overturned. This means that many consumer products made can still contain some asbestos.

In 1984, New Zealand banned the import of raw blue and brown asbestos. In 2002, white asbestos was also banned.
In 1991, a total ban on material that contained asbestos was issued in Australia, but some of the materials in storage were still used. Asbestos removal and disposal was regulated in Queensland in 2005.

The asbestos fibers history is long and infamous. Many people who knew about the dangers of asbestos worked very hard to keep this knowledge from being made public. Today, the dangers of asbestos are well-known, although some products may still contain asbestos today.

Author Bio: If asbestos exposure effected you or someone you know, contacting experienced asbestos lawyers is highly recommended.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: asbestosis, asbestos exposure, asbestos lawsuit, asbestos lawyer, mesothelioma