Asbestos is a killer. The fibres that cause injury are microscopic but are enough to cause years of painful, terminal illness.
But for many employers in the Midlands, throughout the 1950s and through to the mid-’80s, asbestos was known as a valuable and versatile resource. Even though it had been linked to asbestosis in the ’30s, and a link with lung cancer and mesothelioma was established by 1960, working with this insulating material was still seen as an acceptable risk. Up to as recently as 20 years ago, it was used in construction, household appliances and even brake linings.
