What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring mineral fibres.

The unique properties of asbestos make it resistant to heat, fire, chemical and electrical damage. It is stronger than steel, an excellent sound proofing material and it was cheap. It is also the only mineral that can be woven into cloth. All of these desirable properties made asbestos a popular and widely used material in the manufacturing and construction industries.

However, it is the very strength and resilience of the asbestos fibres that make them so dangerous to humans when inhaled or swallowed. Over time asbestos fibres accumulate in the body and cause scarring and inflammation which can sadly develop into illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening.

Over the years as the health dangers of working with or near asbestos became known, bans were placed on importing and working with certain types of asbestos. Sadly the final ban on importing, supplying and use of all asbestos containing products was not until 1999.

It is now estimated that over 50% of the asbestos used in the construction industry throughout the twentieth century remains in place today, making asbestos a real and continued threat to modern day living.

All asbestos compensation claims are pursued on a No Win No Fee basis so you can rest assured that there is no financial risk to you or your family.

To begin an asbestos injury compensation claim or obtain further advice with no obligation contact Sintons, we are available 24/7 on Freephone 0800 046 1748 or from a mobile on 0330 332 0536.

Alternatively, use our callback form and we will arrange for one of our specialist asbestos solicitors to call you at a time that is convenient for you.

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20 years. Thousands of ideas. Countless improvements to health and care across the North East and North Cumbria. 
We're proud to sponsor the 20th Bright Ideas in Health Awards — a true milestone for a programme that's shone a light on innovation since 2003.
Got a bright idea? Entries close 11:59pm, Friday 27 November 2026.
🔗 https://brightideasinhealth.org.uk/
 #BIHA20
We were proud to sponsor the first ever CBIT's Got Talent in Sheffield, raising £9,258 for the Child Brain Injury Trust.
Thank you to co-sponsor Maggie Sargent & Associates, the performers, and everyone who came along. Plans are already under way for an encore next yea👏
Read more - https://tinyurl.com/ynbswynf
#CBITsGotTalent #ChildBrainInjuryTrust #Sheffield #Fundraising #BrainInjury #CharityEvent
Think you know your stuff? Join Sintons' Trainees for our Fundraising Quiz Night at Shearer's Bar, St James' Park on 12th Nov.
Quiz, raffle & games, all in aid of @stoswaldsuk and our Trainee Challenge.
🎟️ £12.50pp or £70 per table of 6.
#SintonsTrainees #QuizNight #Newcastle #StOswaldsHospice
Employment Law E-Bulletin 104 is out:
🔷Individuals can be liable for failure to make reasonable adjustments
🔷Vicarious liability doesn't transfer under TUPE
🔷Govt response on union rights statement duty
https://tinyurl.com/2v3mc2u7
#EmploymentLaw #HR #TUPE
The Building Safety Levy is now in force for certain residential projects in England, but standard form contracts like JCT D&B 2024 don't yet deal with it.
Are your contracts ready? Make sure they cover who provides the levy information and who pays.
https://tinyurl.com/2p9pbscv
#BuildingSafetyLevy #Construction #BuildingSafety #ConstructionLaw #Contracts
Join us on 11th November for our seminar: When Trauma Shapes the Narrative – understanding and working with PTSD
We'll look at how PTSD develops after significant trauma, its impact on rehabilitation in a medico-legal context, and evidence-based treatments including Trauma Focused CBT and EMDR.
Led by Craig Thompson, CBT Therapist at Talking House North East, and Barry Lehane RGN, LLM., Case Manager at Empowering U
📍 Sintons, The Cube, Newcastle
🕓 Arrival 4.00pm | Seminar 4.30pm
Book your place - https://tinyurl.com/zd3tk254
Nicki Waugh hashtag#PTSD hashtag#Trauma hashtag#EMDR hashtag#Newcastle

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