October 22nd, 2009
A woman has been awarded compensation of £300,000 after her husband died from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma.
Michael Streets left school in 1963 and got a job as an apprentice oil fitter at Fawley Refinery, the Southern Daily Echo reports.
Although he left the company in 1975, Mr Streets said he recalled there being no safety measures in place to protect employees against the danger of asbestos. In fact, he said in a statement before he died that workers used to have ’snowball’ fights with the fibres and that the air was thick with deadly dust.
Mr Streets contracted mesothelioma and died in December 2007. His widow Francis took legal action against the Esso Petroleum Company and it recently admitted liability.
She is to be awarded £300,000 in compensation for her loss.
Asbestos-related cancers typically affect five times as many men as women because they are often the result of working in industries that used the materials in the 1960s, Cancer Research UK attests.
Tags: 1960s, Apprentice, Asbestos Cancer, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Cancer Mesothelioma, Cancer Research Uk, Cancers, Deadly Dust, Fibres, Fitter, Job, Many Men, Petroleum Company, Refinery, Safety Measures, Snowball Fights, Southern Daily Echo, Woman
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August 10th, 2009
A man who developed the debilitating condition Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) after using power tools at work has received compensation from his former employers.
Anthony Barry, 61, was a fitter for the automobile company Ford in Halewood before taking early retirement in 2000.
He began to notice problems with his hands in 2005, with his digits turning white in cold weather.
Mr Barry sought medical advice after he was informed by his colleagues that it could be Havs and was indeed diagnosed with the problem, which is also known as Vibration White Finger.
He commented: "I was never warned about the dangers of developing this condition."
Ford has now agreed to a payout of £8,500 for failing to protect the safety of its employees.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, almost two million people in the UK are at risk from Havs as a result of the tools they use at work.
Tags: Arm Vibration Syndrome, Automobile Company, Cold Weather, Colleagues, Digits, Early Retirement, Fitter, Ford, Halewood, Hand Arm Vibration, Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, Havs, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Medical Advice, Power Tools, Risk, Two Million, Vibration White Finger
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June 25th, 2009
A woman who lost her husband to the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma could be in line to receive record compensation after suing the companies where he was exposed.
Alex Devoy died only six months after being diagnosed with the disease and not only did Carole Devoy lose a husband, she also lost a carer as she suffers from Parkinson’s Disease.
Ms Devoy was left having to pay professionals over £2,000 a month to look after her as her condition continued to deteriorate.
She took legal action against a Merchant Navy shipbuilder –- for whom her husband worked as a fitter between 1955 and 1959 – and an engineering company, where he worked between 1960 and 1970.
At a high court hearing this month, the companies admitted liability and have agreed to pay Ms Devoy compensation. However, it must now be decided how much she should receive for her loss and the reduction in care that she also suffered.
Asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma typically affect five times as many men as women because they were more likely to be involved in manual work where the fibre was in the air.
Tags: Alex, Asbestos Cancer, Asbestos Diseases, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Related Diseases, Cancer Mesothelioma, Carer, Death Case, Devoy, Engineering Company, Fibre, Fitter, Many Men, Merchant Navy, Parkinson S Disease, Record Damages, Shipbuilder, Six Months, Woman
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April 8th, 2009
A man who began to suffer problems with his hearing after spending years in a noisy work environment is to receive compensation from his former employer.
Roger Ferris worked as a fitter, turner and erector for British Rail between 1956 and 1982, the Gazette and Herald reports.
It was here that he was exposed to the noise from pneumatic drills which permanently damaged his ears.
Mr Ferris now needs to wear hearing aids. He took legal action against British Rail, claiming that the conditions were too noisy and that the workers were never given any ear protection.
In a new development, the company has agreed to a payout of £14,000 to compensate Mr Ferris for his loss of hearing.
It was reported last month that Rolls Royce employee Alan Richardson had been awarded £6,000 in compensation after he too suffered hearing loss from being exposed to loud machinery noise.
According to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, workers must have hearing protection available at noise levels of 80 decibels or above and should be made to wear it at 85 decibels.
Tags: 80 Decibels, Alan Richardson, British Rail, Deaf Workers, Ear Protection, Erector, Fitter, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Hearing Protection, Industrial Deafness, Loss Of Hearing, Machinery Noise, Mr Ferris, Noise Levels, Pneumatic Drills, Railway Worker, Rolls Royce, Work Environment
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February 9th, 2009
A man whose hearing was damaged after being subjected to a noisy workplace for over 20 years has received a compensation payout.
The unnamed 50-year-old was an employee at Dormer Tools in Sheffield and Worksop, but despite the noisy environment, he was not given protection or advice on the dangers of excessive noise to his hearing.
After he began to suffer occupational deafness, he took legal action against Dormer Tools, which has now admitted liability and agreed to an out-of-court settlement for £5,500.
Adrian Axtell, spokesperson for the man’s union Unite, said: "It is only right that those deafened through their employer’s negligence should be compensated for the long-term damage to their hearing."
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must take specific actions if the noise level in their workplace reaches above 80 decibels, including providing information and hearing protection.
Average noise levels must never exceed 87 decibels nor peak at 140 decibels.
Tags: 80 Decibels, Axtell, Court Settlement, Dormer Tools, Excessive Noise, Fitter, Hearing Protection, Negligence, Noise At Work, Noise At Work Regulations, Noise Level, Noise Levels, Noisy Environment, Occupational Deafness, S Union, Sheffield, Spokesperson, Worksop
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