How do I Know if I Have Been Exposed to Asbestos?

In this article:

What is asbestos?
What are the health problems associated with asbestos exposure?
How does asbestos cause these health problems?
Have I been exposed? Where and how will I have been at risk of asbestos exposure?
Are there other situations in which I might have been exposed to asbestos?
What do I do if I think I have been exposed to asbestos?
What to do if you have asbestos-related symptoms

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a material primarily used in building work prior to 2000, when its use was discontinued. It’s not dangerous when it is stable and contained, but when materials containing asbestos are disturbed or damaged, the fibres can be released into the air and inhaled. There were three kinds of asbestos used in building materials in the UK – crocidolite (blue asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos) and chrysotile (white asbestos). Chrysotile was banned in 1999, and crocidolite and amosite were banned in 1985.

What are the health problems associated with asbestos exposure?

When asbestos fibres are inhaled, the health problems they can cause are very serious, and in some cases, fatal. These are often hidden diseases that can take a long time to develop before showing symptoms. By the time you begin to show symptoms, it is often too late to have any effect on the illness. The effect is typically cumulative, so if you were exposed from an earlier age for a long time (ie, on a daily basis), there is a greater risk.

Asbestos exposure can cause:

mesothelioma
asbestos-related lung cancer
asbestosis
pleural thickening
pleural plaques

However, it’s important to note that not all people who’ve been exposed to asbestos will go on to develop a health problem. Many people who have been exposed will develop no health problems connected to asbestos at all.

How does asbestos cause these health problems?

When asbestos is disturbed, the fibres enter the air and can be inhaled. This can cause illnesses in the following ways:

Illness	How asbestos causes this
MesotheliomaCancer of the mesothelial cells – those that make up the lining of the lungs and chest wall, and abdominal cavity. There are several kinds: pleural (lung) and peritoneal (abdominal) are the most common.	Pleural mesothelioma: Inhaling asbestos can result in particles entering the lungs. The body can’t break down the asbestos fibres, so swelling and inflammation occurs in the surrounding area. The lining and membranes of the lungs and chest wall (pleura) can become irritated over decades and start to mutate, causing cancer.Peritoneal mesothelioma: This works in the same way, but the asbestos particle may be ingested or go to the lung first then be coughed up and swallowed, leading it to affect the lining of the abdomen.
Asbestos-related lung cancer	In much the same way as mesothelioma, asbestos can lodge elsewhere in the lung, and cause irritation over decades that can generate a gene mutation like a tumour.
Asbestosis	Asbestosis is a long-term lung condition caused by scarring in the lungs (brought on by the presences of asbestos), resulting in breathing difficulties.
Pleural thickening	Extensive fibrous scarring caused by asbestos particles can thicken the pleura (membrane covering the lungs). The scarring can grow and close off the space between the membrane and the lungs, making breathing difficult. Pleural thickening may be a precursor to mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer.
Pleural plaques	Pleural plaques are not cancerous – they are benign and don’t cause long-term health issues in themselves. They are a firm (sometimes calcified) fibrous thickening of the pleura on the chest wall, lungs or diaphragm. Although they’re caused by asbestos, it’s not yet known how.

Have I been exposed? Where and how will I have been at risk of asbestos exposure?

Asbestos has been used in many industrial, public and residential buildings built before 2000. That means it is still present in buildings built before 2000, so there’s still risk of exposure when it is disturbed. For this reason anyone working or living in a building that contains asbestos which has been disturbed is at risk of exposure. However, it is people who work with building materials on a daily basis who are the most risk.

Asbestos was used from the 1950s to the 1970s primarily, in industries like mining, manufacturing, construction, building maintenance, and shipyards. You might have a greater risk of health problems from asbestos exposure if you have or had one of the following jobs:

shipyard workers
demolition workers
construction workers, including architects and surveyors
maintenance workers, including caretakers, tradespeople like electricians, carpenters/joiners and plumbers, painters and decorators, roofers, plasterers, and people who install gas, electricity, fire and burglar alarms
power plant or chemical plant workers
industrial workers, including people who work in a mine or factory where materials containing asbestos are processed
engineers, including heating and ventilation, insulators, telecommunications, and cable layers

In buildings, some of the things that may contain asbestos are:

asbestos cement products
loose asbestos in ceiling or floor cavities
roofing felt
lagging
floor tiles, textiles and composites
sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls and beams/columns
rope seals and gaskets
asbestos insulating board
textured coatings

Are there other situations in which I might have been exposed to asbestos?

Aside from people working in the building and maintenance trades, you may have also been exposed to asbestos if you were/are:

working or studying in a school built pre-2000, where building work was happening or there were regular repairs
working or living with someone who has had long-term regular exposure to asbestos

What do I do if I think I have been exposed to asbestos?

The important thing to remember is that exposure to asbestos does not automatically equal health problems. The risk of health problems increases in line with the regularity and intensity of exposure. However, some people who have had regular, long-term exposure to asbestos will develop no health problems at all.

If you think you have been exposed to asbestos, remember that it can take from 20 to 50 years for symptoms of an illness to appear. If you’re concerned, here’s what you should do:

Tell your doctor that you think you’ve been exposed, and remind them annually
Ask for regular pulmonary check ups
Consider regular pulmonary function tests or monitoring
Familiarise yourself with the symptoms of mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, pleural thickening and pleural plaques – and be vigilant when you develop any chest- or breathing-related problems. When you experience these symptoms, see your doctor and remind them about your exposure.
Quit smoking. Think about the cumulative carcinogenic effects that both tobacco and asbestos could have on your lungs: they each increase a chance of developing cancer from the other. Strengthen your body against impaired lung function!

What to do if you have asbestos-related symptoms

If you think you’ve been exposed to asbestos and you later develop these symptoms:

breathlessness
a chronic cough
wheezing
coughing up blood
swollen fingertips
swelling and pain in your face, neck, chest or lower back
unexplained weight loss

…then see your doctor as soon as you can. Remind them about your asbestos exposure.

If you have been exposed to asbestos and your health has suffered due to asbestos exposure don’t forget to contact us here at ASD, so we can help you claim. You can call 0114 2678780, email Richard Meggitt at [email protected], or complete our online form today for a free same-day visit.

You can also check out our other resources about asbestos here:

Other related pages

All You Need To Know About Asbestos