What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring substance, mined from rock and made up of tiny fibers, used extensively in thousands of building and insulation products.

Asbestos was used as a material to insulate buldings. It was heavily used during the 1970s. Common uses for asbestos included insulation, fireproofing materials, furnace/boiler insulation and roof/ceiling tiles.

Asbestos releases microscopic fibers that people either breathe in or swallow. Asbestos fibers are so small the eye cannot see them. Asbestos has no smell or taste, and it is inhaled or swallowed without immediate or noticeable effect.

Individuals in the following occupations may have been exposed to asbestos: plumbers, electricians, insulation installers, boiler/furnace workers, mechanics, carpenters, steel workers, maintenace workers and many others. Construction sites, shipyards, refineries and factories are high-exposure environments, among others. During the 1970s, many other industrial sites exposed workers to asbestos. Some individuals may have come into contact with asebstos without knowing it.

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