News and Knowledge

‘The NHS Is Killing Me’: Former Health Worker Speaks Out

A 75-year-old former NHS worker with five decades of service has spoken out about her harrowing cancer diagnosis after potential asbestos exposure during her hospital career.     What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is a type of asbestos-related cancer affecting the pleura (lining of the lung). It can be found in the lining of the abdominal…

Manchester Firm Fined for Asbestos Risk at Eccles Pub

A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited, a Manchester-based construction company, has been fined for exposing workers to asbestos during a project at the former Unicorn Public House.     Asbestos Found and Illegally Removed at Construction Site During a routine inspection on May 16, 2022, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector made a disturbing discovery…

Records Reveal Asbestos Kills 9x More Veterans than Combat

Government records reveal that asbestos has killed nine times more military veterans than British victims of the Taliban during the Afghan campaign.   The deadly material, found in military accommodation, ships, submarines, helicopters, and tanks, is causing an average of 89 new cases of mesothelioma, a fatal cancer, each year. According to the British Occupational…

Asbestos: Fear of ‘tsunami’ of deaths in UK schools

A new report has claimed that hundreds of thousands of people will die from asbestos exposure in UK schools after the ‘hidden killer’ still remains in public buildings.   According to statistics, at least 1,400 teachers and support staff, and 12,600 pupils have died from mesothelioma (an aggressive lung cancer caused by inhaling asbestos fibres)…

Ford car factory closed after asbestos discovery

A Ford car factory has been forced to close after banned asbestos was found in sections of the building.   In a letter to customers, Ford – the UK’s second largest car brand, warned that a “small percentage” of chrysotile, commonly known as white asbestos, was detected in cement at one of its UK locations.  …

Calls for government to change asbestos safety regulations

The government has been urged to take further action to prevent more people from dying from asbestos exposure – 25 years after the deadly material was banned in the UK.   Figures show that despite a ban being in place for more than two decades, thousands of people are still dying from asbestos-related causes every…

Royal Marines to sue Ministry of Defence for asbestos exposure 

Current and former Royal Marine Commandos are taking the Ministry of Defence to court after claiming they were exposed to asbestos whilst training in Latvia.   Edward Hill, an ex-marine engineer and vehicle mechanic claims their bosses breached their rights by making them sleep in a garage that allegedly contained the banned substance.    …

BT worker died after being exposed to asbestos on a daily basis, coroner rules

A telecoms engineer who worked for BT died after being exposed to asbestos on a ‘day-to-day’ basis, a coroner has ruled.   Ian Stubbs, of Hawkes Lane in Bracon Ash, near Norwich, was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in 2021 after experiencing a long-term cough and shortness of breath. A personal statement, which he wrote before his…

Asbestos in schools – fears for 1,000 British schools after increasing number of teacher deaths

A new report has expressed ‘extreme concern’ as up to 1,000 schools could contain asbestos in the UK.   A report, published by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has revealed that 700,000 pupils are learning in ‘unsafe’ schools that need major rebuilding or refurbishment.     The report has criticised the school estate, adding that…

Volkswagen ordered to pay damages of $5.75 million in Mesothelioma case

During the years 1972-75, whilst working at Spokane Volkswagen dealership as an auto mechanic, Mr. Sorrentino, developed malignant mesothelioma which is a rare and fatal asbestos-related disease.   Mesothelioma is a cancer that usually starts in the layers of tissue that cover each lung (the pleura) – this is called pleural mesothelioma. More rarely it can start…