Table 1.
Cases of asbestosis (2001–2016) at Birmingham Regional NHS Occupational Lung Disease Service, showing the frequencies of encountered industries (A) and occupations (B)
| Number of cases (%) | |
| (A) Industries | |
| Construction | 71 (44) |
| Manufacturing | 21 (13) |
| Defence | 13 (8) |
| Energy production | 12 (8) |
| Automotive | 10 (6) |
| Metals | 6 (4) |
| Shipping and shipbuilding | 6 (4) |
| Asbestos production and supply | 4 (3) |
| Demolition | 3 (2) |
| Healthcare | 2 (1) |
| Chemical | 2 (1) |
| Education | 2 (1) |
| Aerospace | 1 (<1) |
| Civil service | 1 (<1) |
| Prison service | 1 (<1) |
| Confectionery | 1 (<1) |
| Fishing | 1 (<1) |
| Parks and grounds | 1 (<1) |
| Rail | 1 (<1) |
| Telecommunications | 1 (<1) |
| (B) Occupations | |
| Pipe fitter/pipe fitter’s mate [including fitter-welders] | 20 (13) |
| Carpenter/joiner | 17 (11) |
| Lagger/lagger’s mate | 16 (10) |
| Building labourer | 9 (6) |
| Painter/decorator [includes domestic and industrial] | 8 (5) |
| Engineer [includes metal, civil, electrical, railway, naval] | 8 (5) |
| Steel fabricator-welder/ steel erector/welder’s mate | 7 (4) |
| Carriage fitter | 6 (4) |
| Boiler man/stoker | 6 (4) |
| Roofer | 5 (3) |
| Mechanic [includes rail, car, military] | 5 (3) |
| Plumber | 5 (3) |
| Electrician | 5 (3) |
| Sheet metal worker | 4 (3) |
| Plasterer | 4 (3) |
| Floorer/tiler | 4 (3) |
| Driver [including trains and excavators] | 4 (3) |
| Scientist/laboratory technician | 3 (2) |
| Assembler | 3 (2) |
| Inspector | 2 (1) |
| Manager | 2 (1) |
| Asbestos mixer | 2 (1) |
| Shop fitter | 2 (1) |
| Other [single entries] | 13 (8) |
Manufacturing included production of train carriages (9 patients), cookers and ovens, refrigerators, plastics, shoes, tyres, ironing boards, electrical items and table sauce; the nine patients from train carriage manufacturing were from a single employer and were: carriage fitters (6), carpenter (1), painter (1) and sheet metal worker (1). Those employed by the Ministry of Defence (defence industry) were naval shipwrights/fitters and electricians (10), articifer (1), railway mechanic (1) and metal worker (1). Of 12 patients, 9 employed in the energy industry worked in power stations as fitter-welders (5), laggers or lagger’s mates (3) and a steel erector (1).