Waters Kraus & Paul history

The Industrial Revolution further fueled its production and use throughout North America, noting the first industrial asbestos mine opening in Canada in 1879.

It was not until 1918 that the United States government would recognize the risk of asbestos shortening the life spans of those who worked with the material.

In 1930, the illness known as asbestosis was discovered in connection to asbestos exposure by Doctor Edward Merewether.

Researchers first discovered the link between asbestos exposure and cancer in 1934.

The warnings for this risk of cancer relative to asbestos would not come until 1942.

By 1949, asbestos is widely understood to be harmful.

Eventually, in 1967, the first successful personal injury claim in the U.K. was established.

Additional rules closely followed in 1969, which saw the expansion of regulation beyond just the manufacturing process to include every industry that used asbestos.

Like the U.K., the United States only saw increased regulation after the first successful personal injury claim regarding asbestos in 1971.

Like the U.K., the United States only saw increased regulation after the first successful personal injury claim regarding asbestos in 1971. It would not make any further significant changes until 1989 when the EPA began to phase out asbestos use in almost all products in the United States Meanwhile, the U.K. would only be a decade away from a complete ban of asbestos across the board.