Man And Legal Team Seeking Details On Working Conditions

A former Hotpoint employee with asbestos cancer is appealing to his ex-workmates for help in establishing how he fell ill.

David Sylvester, 77, from Peterborough, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lining of the lungs most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Following his diagnosis, David instructed asbestos-related disease experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how he could have been exposed to the material that looks set to claim his life.

David believes his contact with asbestos may have taken place when he worked for Hotpoint. He was based at the company’s plant in Peterborough which, at the time of David’s employment from 1959 to 1995, designed and manufactured refrigeration products.

He is now joining his legal team in appealing to his former Hotpoint colleagues for details on the working conditions they faced to help determine whether he was exposed to asbestos during his employment.

Expert Opinion

“Mesothelioma is a particularly unpleasant illness, and David’s case is sadly yet another reminder of the legacy left behind by asbestos, with many people becoming ill many years after initial contact has occurred.

We are determined to provide David with the answers he deserves regarding his illness, though nothing can change what’s happened.

We are therefore keen to hear from anyone who worked for Hotpoint at the Peterborough plant and can offer details on the environment he worked in.

Any detail, no matter how small, could prove vital in our investigation.”
Rosemary Giles - Partner

David started a five-year electrician apprenticeship with Hotpoint in 1959.  He told his legal team he fears he was regularly exposed to asbestos when he cut, used and installed asbestos covered cabling.

He qualified as a design engineer in 1965 and continued to work at Hotpoint’s Peterborough plant until he was made redundant in 1995 when a company called Beko took over.

David began to feel unwell and breathless in late 2020.  Following a series of tests, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma last November.

He currently has a drain fitted so that fluid can be drained from his lungs.

David said: “Being told I have mesothelioma was a huge shock, and I was devastated to hear what it could mean for my future.

“Afterwards I had so many questions over how this could have happened to me, and I remembered coming across asbestos regularly when I was with Hotpoint.  It covered the cabling I worked with, and there was a huge amount of lagged pipework running around the factory which wasn’t always in good condition and needed maintenance carried out on it from time to time.  This would release dust into the air.

“While there is nothing I can do to turn back the clock or change my diagnosis, I just hope that I can get the answers I deserve.  I would be so grateful if anyone who worked with me or at Hotpoint around the same time would come forward with any information that might help.”

Anyone with information that could assist with this case is asked to contact Rosemary Giles on 01223 791810 or by e-mail at rosemary.giles@irwinmitchell.com.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in handling asbestos-related disease cases