Judith Is Seeking Answers Following Death Of Former Merchant Seaman and Boiler Engineer Husband

The widow of a former shipping and boiler engineer, who died from asbestos-related cancer, has instructed their lawyers to issue court proceedings she searches for answers as to how he became exposed to the deadly substance.

Brian Jackson, from Ossett in Wakefield, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January 2016 and sadly passed away on 9th November 2016.   Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer affecting the lining of the lungs and is caused by exposure to asbestos, often decades before symptoms begin to show.

During his treatment, Brian was a patient in a medical trial called Mars 2 which was designed to determine if having extended pleurectomy decortication surgery influenced the length and quality of life that the patient enjoyed following a diagnosis of mesothelioma.

While on the trial, Brian underwent the surgery and his recovery was slow but progressive.  Regrettably Brian developed problems in relation to his breathing due to the surgery and died seven weeks after the procedure.

Brian worked in the Merchant Navy for many years before becoming an industrial boiler engineer.  He began his career as a fireman and went on to serve on many ships including voyages on the Queen Elizabeth to New York in the 1960s.

Before his death Brian told his legal team that he worked on motor ships carrying cargo in Europe and also spent an extensive period of time working on dredging ships as an engineer.  By the end of his career in the Merchant Navy he had achieved the rank of a chief engineer, remaining so until the late 1970s/early 1980s.

Brian’s wife of 48 years, Judith, with whom he had five children, is appealing to Brian’s former colleagues who may have important information on the conditions he worked in both in the Merchant Navy and for Boiler Operation & Management Ltd also later known as Industrial Energy Services, whose head office was in Mansfield in the early 1980s.

Brian was based at their office in Sheffield on Glossop Road.  He worked on contracts all over Yorkshire, Newcastle and Lancashire but mainly worked alone carrying out cleaning and servicing repairs to boilers.

Judith said: “Both Brian and I were shocked when he was first diagnosed with mesothelioma as he seemed so fit and well before that.

“He had fought so hard on his recovery during the Mars 2 trial, which made his death even more devastating for us.

“I hope that his former colleagues will help us get the answers we so desperately want so that we can get the justice Brian deserves. Brian recalled working in boiler rooms on many occasions in areas such as hospitals, properties for the council and also local coal boards.  He considered that his exposure to asbestos may have also arisen in the work that he carried out in relation to boilers and pipework."

Nicola Handley, the specialist industrial disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Brian’s family, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive, unforgiving, and sadly terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure decades before symptoms develop.

“All too often we see a case like this where workers spent time working in environments where they were exposed to asbestos dust and were not made aware, by their employers, of the dangers of asbestos dust.

“Brian’s death has understandably devastated his family and we are determined to help get justice for them and for him. We are appealing to any of Brian’s former colleagues who worked with him at the Boiler Operation & Management Company later known as Industrial Energy Services to contact us in order to discuss the working condition that he would have been required to endure.” Nicola Handley - Senior Associate Solicitor

Anyone with information about the working conditions Brian was exposed to during his time working in the Navy and at the Boiler Operation & Management Company later known as Industrial Energy Services should contact Nicola Handley on 0113 220 6233 or email Nicola.Handley@IrwinMitchell.com.