Asbestos is a mineral used by subcontracting firms in the car, naval and building industries, mainly to produce asbestos cement, a cheap and strong material. During the two world wars, Eternit became the French and world leader in the production of asbestos cement, and remained so until the euphoria of the years 1950-1975. But as technicians inhaled microscopic asbestos fibres, they suffered from a fatal hardening of the lungs, thus destroying the human capital on which Eternit’s wealth depended. For a long time the risk was invisible both physically and socially, through its long latency period and to the absence of any recognition procedure. This article examines the strategies of both companies and government in favour of a “controlled use” of asbestos (1960-1994),which sought to define a “safe” level of asbestos poisoning. It documents the responsibilities, silences and fallacies of industrialists, government officials, factory inspectors and doctors. In the last 30 years the victims have organised themselves and won their first victories in recognising the responsibility of industrialists and in the principle of compensation.