Boyes Turner were instructed by Mr Green who was diagnosed with asbestosis. He had started employment with the CEGB Workforce in 1963. He was stationed at Staythorpe Power Station.
Exposure to asbestos
Initially, Mr Green worked as a fitter carrying out all sorts of maintenance jobs. The vast majority of those were in the boiler house and that’s where he spent most of his time. Everything in the boiler house was heavily lagged with asbestos and all colours of asbestos were used, including blue asbestos. Mr Green worked in and around the laggers who would chip off the old asbestos lagging so he could access the pipes. The old lagging was just left on the floor where it was walked over. As the job proceeded the laggers would follow behind Mr Green, reapplying the lagging when a particular part of the job was done. They tipped asbestos powder from large sacks into drums and mixed it with water creating huge plumes of dust.
After six years, Mr Green was promoted to a foreman and he continued in that role for a further seventeen years. His job was to supervise the fitters and laggers, so he continued to be heavily exposed to asbestos throughout. It was not until around 1980 that any safety precautions were taken.
Asbestosis diagnosis
Towards the end of 2014 Mr Green started to develop breathing difficulties. After two admissions to hospital he was diagnosed with asbestosis. This causes him difficulty undertaking activities of daily care. It also prevents him from undertaking his hobby of singing in the choir. His prognosis is that the condition will continue to get gradually worse over the remainder of his life time.
Settling the asbestos claim
A claim was brought against RWE Npower, the successors in title who have assumed the liability of CEGB in relation to Staythorpe Power Station. They admitted breaching their duty of care to Mr White. A settlement was negotiated, and Mr Green accepted £50,000 in respect of his claim.
