Asbestos inquest statement claimed that workers “looked like ghosts”

A court heard a statement in an asbestos inquest after the death of 90 year old former docker and seaman, William Daley, was found to have died of pleural thickening in October of 2021.

Mr Daley from Berkeley had 37,344 asbestos fibres per gram of lung tissue within his body, according to results of the post mortem, which many decades after retirement resulted in his eventual death.

His statement was made a short time after being diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in February of the same year, as a claim was being put forward for compensation. A link to the original news article can be found here.

Mr. Daley stated:

“We continued with our work while trampling around in it,” he said. “There was really no getting away from it. Clouds of dust were created. It really seemed to get everywhere. Laggers were covered head to toe in asbestos dust and they looked like ghosts.

“Sometimes the dust fell on my face and hair – it was part and parcel of the job and we just got on with it.”

Mr. Daley worked in engine and boiler rooms of dry docks in the 1940s and 50s, later progressing to role of seaman in the 50s and 60s. After joining the merchant navy, his role in the maintenance team had him dealing with lagging pipes.

A professor of respiratory medicine stated during the inquest that any part of the deceased’s work could have been a contribution to the condition that later claimed his life.

The coroner concluded:

“On the evidence of the deceased, and the evidence of Professor Maskell, I shall record a conclusion of death from Industrial Disease.”

What are mesothelioma and asbestos related illnesses?

Mesothelioma is a type of asbestos related cancer affecting the pleura (lining of the lung) but can also be found in the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneal) or the lining around the heart (pericardial).

Other types of asbestos related cancers and illnesses are disorders of the lungs caused by exposure to and inhalation of asbestos fibres. These conditions usually develop many years or decades after exposure to asbestos.

Such conditions can also occur as a result of non–occupational, environmental exposure. Asbestos was extensively used in many building materials, and a large amount of asbestos still remains in buildings. If the asbestos is disturbed to allow fragments to be released into the air, it can create a potential hazard to health.

Further reading

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Related Illness – Oakwood Solicitors

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