Sheffield Man Appeals For Help Over Mesothelioma Claim
01/09/2009
A Sheffield man is appealing for the help of former co-workers after he was terminally diagnosed with the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma.
Roy Ashforth, 72, from Birley in Sheffield is pursuing a mesothelioma claim for compensation against previous employers after being exposed to asbestos during his work in the steel industry between 1952 and 1984. As part of his claim, he is appealing for support from anybody who believes that they may have worked with Mr Ashforth at Arthur Balfour & Co Ltd, Keeton Sons & Co Ltd or Flather Bright Steels Ltd, all based in Sheffield.
Mr Ashforth worked as a Hammer Driver for Arthur Balfour & Co Ltd, on Greenland Road in Sheffield, between 1952 and 1955. Whilst working here he was exposed to asbestos lagging on the pipes which supplied steam to each hammer. After a spell in the armed forces he returned to the company as a furnace man in 1957, and continued to be exposed to asbestos for three years until he left in 1960.
Mr Ashforth also believes he was exposed to asbestos when he worked at Keeton, Sons & Co Ltd, also based on Greenland Road, between 1968 and 1972, when he was employed as an engineer’s mate and drilled blocks of Tufnol, a material used on the machinery manufactured by the company.
He then went to work for Flather Bright Steels Ltd, based on Sheffield Road in Tinsley, as a Centreless Turner between 1973 and 1984. The factory roof was made from corrugated asbestos. Mr Ashforth was regularly worked in the vicinity of others performing maintenance work to the roof.
Mr Ashforth said: “No one ever warned us about the dangers of working with asbestos or told us that it was harmful. However more and more people are now finding out the hard way what an awful disease mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases are.
“There are some great campaigns around raising awareness of mesothelioma but there is always more that can be done and there needs to be more research so that we are better placed to help sufferers in the future.”
Helen Ashton, from Irwin Mitchell’s Industrial Illness team, said: “Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive lung cancer which is fatal in the majority of cases. It causes great suffering to the victim and their families”.
“We are trying to trace former colleagues of Mr Ashworth’s from Arthur Balfour & Co Ltd, Keeton & Sons Ltd and Flather Bright Steels Ltd to help out with our enquiries.”
Anybody with any relevant information about any of the three companies should contact Helen Ashton on 01142 744545 or email helen.ashton@irwinmitchell.com
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