Ex-factory staff in fight over 'asbestos deaths'
FORMER crisp factory workers who fear they were exposed to cancer causing asbestos, are calling for an official inquiry after uncovering information about an industrial incident 20 years ago.
Ex-employees of Golden Wonder's Broxburn factory in West Lothian have long been concerned by the high number of deaths from cancer and respiratory illness among their ex-colleagues.
But there has been little evidence to link any of the deaths to the sufferers' work at the factory.
Now former worker Alex Horne, whose mother worked at the plant and died of lung cancer, has used the Freedom of Information Act to uncover witness statements from a 20-year-old incident.
The statements, which have convinced MP Michael Connarty to back the fight, suggest some factory staff might have been exposed to asbestos. Mr Horne hopes the testimony will be enough to convince the Health and Safety Executive to launch an inquiry into his concerns.
The 61-year-old, of Armadale, West Lothian, said:
"I never knew there was asbestos there and that my health might have been at risk. Over 100 people have died of various respiratory illnesses.
"My mother died of lung cancer in March after working there from 1973 to 1983. I'm fighting for my mum and for everyone in that factory."
The plant closed in 1985, shortly after the workers fear they may have been exposed to asbestos. W & J Furse, the contractors hired to remove lagged pipes containing asbestos from the factory's boiler room, was fined £200 in 1986 for not holding a licence to remove asbestos, and for failing to ensure the safety of its employees.
There was no evidence at the time suggesting Golden Wonder employees had been exposed.
However, in a letter written to the DHSS in 1988, Golden Wonder boilerman Charles Heggie said he was present when Furse workers were removing the asbestos, and was not provided with safety equipment.
The TUC said workers were concerned exposure to asbestos might have accounted for the high death rate amongst ex-employees. But no post-mortem examinations were carried out on any of the alleged victims, making it difficult to determine one way or another.
Mr Connarty, the MP for Grangemouth, said: "We need to establish whether there is a link between what happened in the boiler house and whether asbestos may have been damaging people's health in the factory."
A spokesman for Golden Wonder said: "We are making inquiries and will provide as much cooperation as we can."
Asbestos is dangerous because it splits into very fine dust particles, which can be inhaled. These particles can lodge in the lungs and, because they do not dissolve readily, may persist for years.
Inhaling high levels of asbestos fibres over a period of time can result in incurable diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
• Extract from letter sent by Golden Wonder boiler man Charles Heggie to DHSS on August 28, 1988: "I was working in the boiler house when the contractor was removing the now confirmed asbestos fibres. It was also confirmed on that date at a meeting with Golden Wonder management and health and safety officers that Alex Horne, John Purvis, John Fairly, James Rodger, Alistair Smith and myself were told that our names would be logged and forwarded to the nurse and management of Golden Wonder as we were all directly or indirectly involved in the removal of asbestos insulation. We were not provided with any safety equipment as we were told by the supervisors that the material was non-hazardous to health."
Extract from statement of Roger Dunn of the Health and Safety Executive on October 28, 1985 (released under Freedom of Information Act):
"I noted that the floor at the rear of the boilers appeared to be heavily contaminated with clumps of white and grey fibrous material, resembling asbestos insulation. Subsequently I met Mr Crawford, safety officer of Golden Wonder, and advised him that the boiler room should be cleared of all people to await analysis of the material for its asbestos content. The boiler room was vacated and the doors locked..."
Ex-employees of Golden Wonder's Broxburn factory in West Lothian have long been concerned by the high number of deaths from cancer and respiratory illness among their ex-colleagues.
But there has been little evidence to link any of the deaths to the sufferers' work at the factory.
Now former worker Alex Horne, whose mother worked at the plant and died of lung cancer, has used the Freedom of Information Act to uncover witness statements from a 20-year-old incident.
The statements, which have convinced MP Michael Connarty to back the fight, suggest some factory staff might have been exposed to asbestos. Mr Horne hopes the testimony will be enough to convince the Health and Safety Executive to launch an inquiry into his concerns.
The 61-year-old, of Armadale, West Lothian, said:
"I never knew there was asbestos there and that my health might have been at risk. Over 100 people have died of various respiratory illnesses.
"My mother died of lung cancer in March after working there from 1973 to 1983. I'm fighting for my mum and for everyone in that factory."
The plant closed in 1985, shortly after the workers fear they may have been exposed to asbestos. W & J Furse, the contractors hired to remove lagged pipes containing asbestos from the factory's boiler room, was fined £200 in 1986 for not holding a licence to remove asbestos, and for failing to ensure the safety of its employees.
There was no evidence at the time suggesting Golden Wonder employees had been exposed.
However, in a letter written to the DHSS in 1988, Golden Wonder boilerman Charles Heggie said he was present when Furse workers were removing the asbestos, and was not provided with safety equipment.
The TUC said workers were concerned exposure to asbestos might have accounted for the high death rate amongst ex-employees. But no post-mortem examinations were carried out on any of the alleged victims, making it difficult to determine one way or another.
Mr Connarty, the MP for Grangemouth, said: "We need to establish whether there is a link between what happened in the boiler house and whether asbestos may have been damaging people's health in the factory."
A spokesman for Golden Wonder said: "We are making inquiries and will provide as much cooperation as we can."
Asbestos is dangerous because it splits into very fine dust particles, which can be inhaled. These particles can lodge in the lungs and, because they do not dissolve readily, may persist for years.
Inhaling high levels of asbestos fibres over a period of time can result in incurable diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
• Extract from letter sent by Golden Wonder boiler man Charles Heggie to DHSS on August 28, 1988: "I was working in the boiler house when the contractor was removing the now confirmed asbestos fibres. It was also confirmed on that date at a meeting with Golden Wonder management and health and safety officers that Alex Horne, John Purvis, John Fairly, James Rodger, Alistair Smith and myself were told that our names would be logged and forwarded to the nurse and management of Golden Wonder as we were all directly or indirectly involved in the removal of asbestos insulation. We were not provided with any safety equipment as we were told by the supervisors that the material was non-hazardous to health."
Extract from statement of Roger Dunn of the Health and Safety Executive on October 28, 1985 (released under Freedom of Information Act):
"I noted that the floor at the rear of the boilers appeared to be heavily contaminated with clumps of white and grey fibrous material, resembling asbestos insulation. Subsequently I met Mr Crawford, safety officer of Golden Wonder, and advised him that the boiler room should be cleared of all people to await analysis of the material for its asbestos content. The boiler room was vacated and the doors locked..."
posted by Chris Placitella | 9:01 AM
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