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852 Asbestos Safety
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Health Hazards of Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease as fibers become embedded and accumulate in lung tissue over time. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos, so contact with any amount of asbestos should be avoided. Disease symptoms may take several years to develop following exposure.

Health Effects of Asbestos

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that lodge in the alveoli and cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood.

Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

1-6. Which of the following is a disease of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that lodge in the alveoli and cause the tissues to scar?