Regulation 10

Diseases from Inhaling Asbestos

Ian Wright's Asbestos Warning

The Health and Safety Executive launched a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos. 20 tradesman die each week as a result of the hidden killer; now former footballer Ian Wright -who was a full time plasterer before hitting the big time - backed the initiative. For more information go to: 

Mesothelioma

Asbestos Removal - The Wrong Way

1958 Asbestos Promotional Video

Both the government and corporate industry used promotional newsreel type films during the 1950s and 1960s to promote the application and widespread use of asbestos products. These films were instrumental to marketing asbestos and generating acceptance by the public. Since the early 1900s, asbestos was known to cause illness and disease in workers who handled the material. Even second-hand contact with asbestos can result in a cancer known as mesothelioma. Due to foreknowledge of the danger and not telling their workers, many corporations have since gone bankrupt from paying out billions in court settlement claims against them. 

White Gold Pioneers, Asbestos Mining

A brief history showing the discovery of asbestos ore through to the construction of the mining towns that grew as a result. Thetford Mines In 1876 asbestos is discovered in Thetford township, Quebec. The tools are simple and the workers often inexperienced, but by 1895 mining is starting to be mechanized. This marks the beginning of a stage of unprecedented growth. The number of workers grows with the demand for asbestos. Over time workers learn the value of solidarity and unite to demand better working conditions through the famous asbestos strike. 

1959 Asbestos Mining

An interesting clip showing how asbestos ore was mined. Gives detailed information on mining methods from drilling to explosives. This clip indicates the sheer volumes of asbestos ore which was mined on a regular basis and shows the huge demand for asbestos fibre and products all over the world. 

1959 Milling Asbestos Ore

An interesting clip showing how asbestos ore was dealt with after mining. Details of how the asbestos fibre was released from the asbestos rock. Information on how asbestos fibre was graded, separated and shipped to the factory's for use in asbestos materials for various industry's. It is worthy of note that the clip specifically states that fibre was dried prior to being processed. This gives an indication of the potentially lethal doses of airborne asbestos fibres that milling operatives would have been exposed to 

1959 Asbestos Industrial Use

Shows the volume of asbestos products from asbestos cement through to asbestos insulating board and asbestos pipe insulation which were widely used at the time. What's interesting is the scale of which asbestos products were being utilised throughout industry and goes towards understanding why so many products were improved through adding asbestos fibre to the raw materials prior to manufacture. 

1959 Asbestos in Building Construction

This clip shows views of asbestos at the time and reveals why the construction industry referred to asbestos as the 'magic material'. In almost every case asbestos materials were cheaper, better and easier to handle. It is easy to see why the construction industry utilised tonnes of asbestos containing materials throughout construction, ranging from basic building materials through to internal decorative finishes. 

Asbestos Use In Transportation 1950's

This video signifies the use of asbestos products outside of the construction and building industry and shows the huge implications which are relevant for today's management of asbestos. Watching the clip would indicate that asbestos products were used absolutely anywhere from trains, to cars, ships and even aircraft. This is why asbestos is now such a problem as asbestos materials generally were utilised within every sector of industry. 

Asbestos Use In Homes 1950's

This video almost sells asbestos as a fashion item. It is easy to see why at the time using asbestos products and materials was accepted and even promoted throughout domestic housing. As far as everyone was concerned asbestos offered a cheaper, superior and safer alternative to any other type of material available at the time. Health issues for the most part were ignored, not spoken about or covered up. 

Testing an Asbestos Suit 1950's

Asbestos was considered to be such an amazing material that many people spent their time coming up with new and often extreme uses for the wonder fibre. This clip is a demonstration of a new fire and heat resistant suit. This clip is from a 1956 Universal International newsreel, available at the Internet Archives. 

U.S. Asbestos Removal Procedures 1999

An Asbestos removal project from 1999 in the U.S. The clip shows asbestos enclosure construction, wet stripping techniques and negative pressure. Although the clip is from 1999, the techniques utilised are similar to today's methods, however there have been many improvements and control measures implemented since this clip was made..  

Spodden Valley Asbestos Scandal UK (Part 1)

Rochdale, North west England 1982. A scandalous company cover up in a site that processed Canadian chrysotile asbestos from the 1870s thru to the 1990s. Find out more in Part 2 - about what has happened to this site recently.

Local Council shenanigans in re-zoning the asbestos factory an "Area of Opportunity" for the principle of an "Urban Village" -hundreds of homes and a kids day care centre on the site of the world's largest asbestos factory?  

Spodden Valley Asbestos Scandal (Part 2)

Part 2 of the moving story about the Rochdale asbestosfactory. Who in their right minds would allow homes and a kid's day-care on the site of the world's biggest asbestos factory?