Pay-out for asbestos death family (BBC News)
 

The family of a former railway worker who died from asbestos-related cancer has won a pay-out of almost £100,000.

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In the late 1950's and the 1960's we would visit Crewe or Derby Loco works and walk through the erecting shops between rows of locos in all stages of repair, totally stripped down to fully built up, with Blue Asbestos and White asbestos totally exposed on boilers, cylinders etc., even lying about on the floor. Scrapping going on, locos being stripped for overhaul, etc, etc, and no-one gave it a second thought. Stories like this make you think: There but for the grace of god.....

But nobody knew of the dangers of Asbestos in the 1940's so how were BR liable for something they new nothing of,or is this just another example of the health and safety madness in this country

Although the dangers of asbestos might not have been known by employers in the 1940's they can still be found liable under the 1937 Factories Act of not taking adequate steps to reduce the general dust levels in the workplace. It just so happens that this dust would have contained asbestos.

I visited Derby works many times and recall the asbestos lying around .No I dont think its the Health and safety madness, this stuff really is dangerous but its a bit to little to late me thinks

A friend of mine, who had been an apprentice at Doncaster Works, died of Asbestosis about 2 years ago. He received compensation. It didn't cure him and it did not make up for his loss but it has made his widow's life a little easier.

Best wishes,

John H-T.