Asbestosis: Causes

This information was reviewed and approved by E Brigitte Gottschall, MD (10/1/2014).

Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Because of its physical properties, asbestos has been used in more than 3,000 commercial applications. Asbestos fibers can be turned into products that insulate against heat, cold and noise or are resistant to corrosion by acids, to name a few. The use of asbestos in most products has been banned in the United States and the Western world, but not in developing countries.

Examples of jobs associated with asbestos exposure in the past:

Asbestos miners/millers
Asbestos abatement workers
Automobile repair workers
Construction workers
Demolition workers
Electricians
Glass workers
Insulators
Laborers
Petroleum refinery workers
Plumbers
Railroad workers
Roofers
Sheet metal workers

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