Azbest v pracovním prostředí a jeho zdravotní účinky (2026)

This monograph offers a comprehensive view of the occupational health aspects of asbestos, a material used for decades in industry, construction and other fields. Its resistance to high temperatures, strength and chemical stability once made asbestos seem revolutionary, but the gradual discovery of its harmful effects on human health changed attitudes towards its use and led to strict regulations and gradual bans in many countries. The book covers the history of asbestos use and the scientific findings that led to its classification as a carcinogen, as well as the different types of asbestos fibres and their effects on the human body. It describes serious diseases associated with asbestos exposure, including non-cancerous conditions such as pulmonary asbestosis and pleural diseases, and cancers, particularly malignant mesothelioma and cancers of the lungs, larynx and ovary. The authors address the assessment of the occupational nature of diseases caused by workplace exposure to asbestos dust, including occupational diseases listed in the current register. A section focuses on legislation applicable within the European Union and the Czech Republic, along with occupational health service principles intended to minimise health risks and protect employees. The book also discusses care for people who no longer work with asbestos but were exposed to asbestos dust in the past. It is intended as a useful source of information for specialists in occupational medicine, pneumology, oncology, radiology, hygiene, occupational safety, public health, and health protection and promotion at work, as well as for students in these fields. The contents are in Czech.