Asbestos in Fuses

Never said the fuses aren't safe to handle, purely bringing to attention the potential hazard if they become damaged and to dispose of them correctly.

I don't use cosmetics

Cheers

Even if asbestos would be detected in its 'rather-safe' form (Chrysotile) in sealed fuses, the exposure is eliminated. 
Dealing with fuses is many orders of magnitude safer than skin contact, using cosmetics with asbestos present in cosmetic talc.   

Just received an asbestos report back from sampling a variety of fuses. Essentially fuses made to the BS88:1975 standard or earlier contained asbestos (a few spurious exceptions).

Were as Fuses made to BS88:1988 and after had no asbestos detected. 

Asbestos identified in the millboard (Chrysotile).

Yes, but it probably killed them from asbestosis rather than mesothelioma. In a similar way, coal miners got silicosis. Smoking didn't help either. 

There was a very small amount of H&S legislation earlier, but attitudes began to change after WWII. Let's not forget that the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act was passed as late as 1974.

In 1968 while working in a chemical works I was with my foreman working on top of a boiler. The foreman said they will not make 40, nodding toward two laggers who were lagging the steam pipes to the boiler. I asked what he meant and he said "the asbestos in the lagging will kill them, laggers never live beyond 40". 

I always thought it strange that this foreman knew the dangers of asbestos in 1968 but it was 1985 before blue and brown asbestos was banned and 1999 before white asbestos was banned. How many more people died during that time.

Tom Kawala said:

It is not like Mercury metal.

No, it's worse! I don't have a problem with putting a mercury thermometer in my mouth, or taking my blood pressure with a mercury sphygmomanometer. I'd even be happy to have a clock with a mercury pendulum.

I don't have a problem with asbestos lagging, which is in one of my old motor cars. However, I wouldn't take it apart. Not yet, but perhaps when I shall be 80.

The map shows in dark colour the countries where asbestos ban is in place.
It does not mean there is no awareness and limits to its use anywhere else. 

The ban was necessary, the only way to protect the population and workers from widespread use of weakly controlled supply of asbestos forms. Even talcum powder can cause mesothelioma. Because of very widespread use, it is more dangerous than chrysolite, which is least dangerous from of asbestos, and not banned just in Russia. Engineering is the art of honest compromise, and exposure to dangerous materials can be reduced, by safeguarding or elimination, whatever makes more sense.  

Tom,

Asbestos was banned from use in 1999 onwards.

It is because it is a very dangerous material.

My father died in 2010 from Mesothelioma.

I don't think it is an accurate description as "optimal material in many niche applications" when so many people continue to die from contact with it.

Blanket ban on asbestos and popular demonising makes no sense at all. It is not like Mercury metal. There's number of crystalline forms and 'behaviours', and obviously, exposure to many of these fibers is creating health risk. Thoroughly tested. With limited use of safe forms or safe handling, it is optimal material in many niche applications.