Diabetes Voice

Asbestos is a Greek word that means inextinguishable. Asbestos can withstand heat and fire and hence it was named so. It became popular in the 19th century and many builders started to use asbestos in construction as it has insulating properties, tensile strength and flexibility. However asbestos is toxic. It can cause diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. The developed countries like the USA and many European countries have banned using asbestos in construction. However, a few developing countries like India and China continue to use asbestos. Most asbestos fibres are not visible to the human eye as they are too small. People who are exposed to asbestos at work are prone to get asbestos-related diseases such as asbestos warts, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening. While asbestos warts cause skin diseases, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening can cause lung diseases. In developed countries like the USA it is easier to make an asbestos claim for compensation if a person’s health is affected by this deadly material.