£31,000 compensation for instrument mechanic with pleural thickening

Boyes Turner specialist asbestos claims lawyers acted for Mr J aged 85 who was diagnosed with asbestos related diffuse pleural thickening as a result of his exposure to asbestos at work.

Employment

Mr J was exposed by two employers Steatite and Porcelain Products Limited (now known as Morgan Electro Ceramics Limited) and Worcester Royal Porcelain Company Limited (now known as Company Number 676219 Limited). Mr J worked for both these companies as an instrument mechanic.  His job involved maintaining and repairing electrical and mechanical instruments.

Exposure

At Steatite and Porcelain Mr J worked in huge kilns. In the course of production the porcelain was placed on trugs running along rails which progressed through the kiln from one end of the kiln to the other. The front and back of each trug was coated with asbestos rope. Underneath each 120 foot kiln there was a tunnel approximately 5 feet 5 inches high. Dust from the asbestos rope on the front and back of the trugs was released as it degraded and/or trugs bumped into one another and the dust fell into the open top tunnels. The asbestos dust gathered onto steel girders and steel sleepers spanning the tunnel. Once disturbed it fell into the tunnel as the cable attached to the trugs was dragged along. Mr J also worked in the boiler house in the workshop. Here he was also exposed to and inhaled asbestos dust and fibre.

At Worcester Royal Porcelain, Mr J was the only instrument technician employed by them. There were ten kilns in total. There was a 120 foot German made kiln of a similar type used by Steatite and Porcelain. One of the kilns was a 50 foot German made, gas fired kiln which had a tunnel beneath it similar to the 120 foot kilns. Mr J was exposed to asbestos in the same way as that experienced working the kilns/in the tunnels for Steatite and Porcelain.

Lack of warning and claim

Mr J was never warned about the dangers of working with asbestos and was not provided with any masks or protective equipment. Mr J fell ill and became breathless. He was referred for further investigations and was diagnosed with asbestos related diffuse pleural thickening. Mr J’s claim settled for £31,000 gross.