Asbestos Exposure and Trawlermen
When considering which jobs might most put you in danger of exposure to asbestos, it’s unlikely many people would think that being a trawlerman was at the top of the list. However, our expert asbestos disease solicitors, based in both Hull and Grimsby, have acted for the families of several former trawlermen who have sadly passed away due to getting asbestos disease after exposure to asbestos whilst onboard trawlers.
It would be easy to view the life of a trawlerman through rose-tinted spectacles – of adventures at sea to fetch back a hefty weight of fish after each voyage.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Former trawlermen and their families tell a different story – of long days and nights at sea in all types of weather in a competitive industry, where coming back with a good catch was never a given.
The hardy men who did this toughest of jobs were required to be jacks of all trades. Like all older commercial sailing vessels other than the smallest, before asbestos was banned in 1999, asbestos could be found all over trawlers. Its heat retardant and insulating properties meant that asbestos kept the cold out and the warmth in.
The trawlermen attended to maintenance onboard themselves, so if lagging needed to be replaced, they removed the existing asbestos material and put on new lagging. They even mixed bags of asbestos powder with cement to form the lagging paste.
Asbestos is regarded as safe when it is not disturbed. However, when used for work purposes, mixing it as powder, drilling, cutting, ripping, or otherwise working with asbestos in its various forms causes asbestos fibres to become airborne. The person working with asbestos and anyone doing other jobs close by were at risk of getting asbestos exposure.
The trawlermen slept in bunks when the boats were out at sea overnight. Space on the vessels was always scarce, and sleeping quarters were usually cramped. The workers frequently lay in bunks with pipes clad in worn asbestos only inches away from their faces as they slept. Asbestos insulation that is damaged or worn is dangerous to the health of anyone nearby.
Trawlermen who worked in the east coast fishing ports of Hartlepool, Whitby, Scarborough, Filey, Flamborough, Bridlington, Hull and Grimsby were at risk of asbestos exposure every time they went to work. Some have since been diagnosed with asbestos disease caused by exposure to asbestos while doing their jobs.
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What asbestos diseases do trawlermen get due to asbestos exposure at work?
The four main types of asbestos disease are:
Regular exposure to asbestos whilst working in confined and poorly ventilated areas often led to extensive asbestos exposure. Therefore, trawlermen were at risk of getting any of the asbestos diseases referred to above.
Who was to blame for trawlermen getting asbestos disease?
A brief look at our asbestos disease timeline reveals that the dangers of asbestos were known in government and employer circles many years before asbestos was finally banned. Despite this, few employers warned their employees about the damage asbestos exposure might cause to their health. Workers were not provided with even the most basic breathing protection.
For these reasons, employers often have little defence to asbestos disease compensation claims brought against them.
Can I still sue if my employer no longer exists?
Many trawlermen’s asbestos claims are caused by exposure suffered in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Often their employers no longer exist. So, how is a claim possible against a company that no longer exists? The answer is that a successful claim is possible as long as the employer was insured when asbestos exposure took place, and a policy can be traced.
Trawlermen Asbestos Claims UK
Experienced asbestos disease solicitors, such as the specialist team at Bridge McFarland LLP, know how to trace former employers and their insurers. They have been doing this for many years and can tap into a wealth of experience. In addition, our asbestos solicitors maintain extensive records of companies from all over the country where asbestos exposure was a big problem. They have their insurance details on file in many cases.
Asbestos Awareness is dedicated to informing, educating, and supporting people in relation to asbestos-related diseases.
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