Asbestos disease is caused by inhaling the dust or fibres given off by asbestos when it is worked on. When asbestos is cut, torn, sawn or otherwise worked with, asbestos fibres are released into the air.
As asbestos was worked on to make it suitable for the particular job in hand, those who worked with asbestos and others who carried on their own jobs nearby were subjected to being surrounded by constant clouds of asbestos dust.
When asbestos fibres are inhaled, they lie on the lungs. The more that a person is exposed to asbestos, the larger the amounts of asbestos that are inhaled and the greater the effects will be on the person’s health. Over time these fibres damage the lining of the lungs and further on down the years, this is what leads to asbestos disease being diagnosed.