Grandad's health fears after workplace asbestos exposure

Mar 11 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A GRANDAD is living with the fear he could develop cancer, 50 years after being exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Brian Jackson, of Quarmby, suffers from the asbestos-related condition plural plaques and says he feels like he is living with a time bomb as this puts him at risk of developing the fatal cancer mesothelioma.

He also has to deal with the fact that unless his condition worsens or the law changes, he is unlikely to receive any compensation.

The 67-year-old worked at Huddersfield-based C Watson and Sons Ltd between 1956 and 1960 as a heating engineer.

The Examiner reported on Friday that Colin Gardner won £145,000 compensation after developing lung cancer during his time at the same company as a plumbing apprentice.

Mr Jackson worked with Mr Gardner at the firm and decided to look into pursing a claim himself after reading his story.

The grandfather-of-three joined Watson’s as an apprentice after leaving school at the age of 15.

He said: “I worked in buildings all over Huddersfield, fitting boilers and heating systems and insulating them with asbestos.

“Many of them, including Hollybank teacher training college and the old fire station, were riddled with the stuff but they were later knocked down or the asbestos was removed.

“There was no such thing as protective clothing, I worked until I looked like a little snowman I was so covered in it and I had to travel home on the bus like that.

“The industry has known since the 1930s that asbestos was dangerous but we didn’t know until many years after we had been exposed.”