In another sad news story indicating just how important asbestos surveys in Birmingham, Leeds Newcastle, Teesside and other major UK conurbations remain for the protection of future generations of workers, a law firm is appealing for contact from former colleagues of a Leeds carpenter who died of cancer more than four decades after breathing in asbestos dust.
Terry Ellis of Seaccoft died last June at the age of 72, just three months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, the deadly cancer of the lung lining. According to Irwin Mitchell lawyers, the grandfather-of-17 pinpointed two companies where he came into contact with asbestos in the 1960s.
Those two firms were the building company George Wimpey, where he worked as a carpenter between 1961 and 1966, and the now-defunct John Atkinson and Sons Ltd, a roofing contractor for which he worked from 1966 to 1970.
Now, encouragement is being given to any former workmates who can provide additional information about Mr Ellis’s work at these two companies.
Mark Aldridge, an Irwin Mitchell solicitor specialising in industrial disease cases and representing Terry’s widow, commented: “Mesothelioma is an aggressive, incurable and terminal cancer. It causes victims and their families so much distress and is so often caused by exposure during the working life of the victim.
“Unfortunately, Terry was no longer in contact with his former colleagues who he worked with in the 1960s, so we need people who worked with him to come forward and tell us about his exposure to asbestos and what measures, if any, were taken to protect him and other employees from the dangers of asbestos.”
Mr Ellis’s widow Maureen, 60, said: “It was absolutely heart-breaking to watch Terry deteriorate so quickly after his mesothelioma diagnosis. When we married in 2004 we had hoped to have a long and happy life together. We never thought that there was a spectre such as this in his past employment.”
Those with information that could help are advised to contact Mark Aldridge at Irwin Mitchell by emailing mark.aldridge@irwinmitchell.com or calling 0113 394 6757.
We have extensive expertise in management of the lethal substance here at Trident Surveying, and can therefore provide asbestos surveys in Birmingham, Yorkshire, Sunderland or elsewhere, when and where required at your own organisation’s workplace.
