Britain's continuing asbestos cancer crisis
Britain's continuing asbestos cancer crisis
Two things are certain in occupational health and safety - asbestos is a potent workplace killer and negligent employers will make sure it remains so. Margaret Gibbon was this month awarded £120,000 compensation for the death of her husband Philip, who died aged 60 of the asbestos cancer mesothelioma.
He had worked with asbestos without protection when employed as a shopfitter by Leeds firm William Nicholson and Son Limited (Risks 228). An inquest last week heard that Peter Compton died aged 73 of the same cancer after working with asbestos cement boards when employed as a building labourer in the late 60s and early 70s. A Derby inquest ruled this week that former pipefitter Morris Parker died aged 79 of industrial disease caused by asbestos, as a result of his exposures to pipe lagging at a former Plessey plant in Beeston. Pensioner Fred Edwards is suing Rolls Royce plc after contracting mesothelioma. A writ has been issued at the High Court in London claiming Mr Edwards was exposed to the cancer-causing asbestos when he worked at the Barnoldswick engineering plant.
Negligent employers continue to put a current generation of workers at risk. Llanelli publican Paul Brookfield was fined £10,000 last week after pleaded guilty to three charges of asbestos-related offences at the town's former British Legion Club. The 40-year-old failed to ensure the health at work of three of his staff, including a barman, who he instructed to undertake asbestos removal work in a bar he was renovating.
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