Widow Seeking Information On Corby Steel Plant

The widow of a former factory worker from Leeds who died from asbestos-related cancer is making a plea for his past workmates to come forward with information on how he came into contact with the hazardous substance.

John Pullen, known as Keith, started to feel breathless at the start of 2019.  Tests confirmed that he was suffering from mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining of the lungs most commonly associated with exposure to asbestos which occurred decades previously. 

He died a few months later in May 2019, aged 76.

Keith, from Scholes, worked at a British Steel Corporation plant in Corby, Northants, from 1965 to 1973, where he was employed as a graduate trainee before becoming a project manager.  His wife Lynn has instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his employment history to determine how he developed the disease.

Hannah Robinson, a specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Lynn, said: “Keith worked for the British Steel Corporation for many years, and as part of our research we would be grateful to hear from former employees who worked with Keith and could shed some light on the working conditions at the time, so we can get justice for our client.”

When Keith began work as a graduate trainee in 1965, the company was known as Stewarts and Lloyds Steelworks, and during his time there he was required to walk through the electrical resistance weld factory, commonly referred to as the ERW factory.

He also spent at least a year based in the electrical weld stretch resistance factory, known as the EWSR factory, and remembers there were 10 furnaces in there.  The purpose of these was to heat metal tubes which were around 80 yards long and processed on rollers that went through the furnaces. 

The furnaces were around six foot high and would have been lagged with asbestos materials.  The associated pipework would also have been lagged with asbestos.

Prior to his death, Keith recalled that during the maintenance process the asbestos was stripped off periodically while he was in the vicinity.

Lynn said: “I am still deeply upset about Keith’s diagnosis and death.  It was horrible to see him so unwell and in a hospital bed. It’s hard to accept because he worked hard all his life and through no fault of his own was exposed to harmful asbestos.

“If anyone remembers working with Keith, then I would urge them to please come forward.  We really need some answers and would be very grateful for any information.”

Anyone with any information that could assist with this case is asked to contact Hannah Robinson at Irwin Mitchell on 0113 394 6842 or hannah.robinson@irwinmitchell.com.

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