Family Hope To Honour Ex Asbestos Company And Foundry Worker’s Memory

By Suzanne Rutter

The devastated family of a former factory worker who died after battling an asbestos-related illness have joined forces with specialist industrial disease lawyers to appeal for his ex colleagues to help an investigation into how he was exposed to the deadly dust.

Mohammed Zaman, formerly of Roundhay Gardens in Leeds, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos exposure, in August 2008 following tests and scans at St James Hospital. He died of mesothelioma on 11 June 2009.

The 78-year-old believed he was exposed to asbestos while working as a labourer at the Cork Insulation and Asbestos Company Ltd from 1961 to 1962. Mohammed worked on a production line stacking crates before the factory shipped them out to suppliers.

In addition, he worked at West Yorkshire Foundries, Sayner Lane, Hunslet in Leeds, between 1964 and 1972 as a labourer working alongside other employees involved in the process of demolishing and maintaining furnaces, which generated large quantities of dust.

The family of the father-of-seven and grandfather of 40 has now instructed specialist industrial disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell and together they are appealing for his ex colleagues to come forward with information about the working conditions he endured.

Ian Toft, an industrial disease expert at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, said: “Mesothelioma is an aggressive and incurable cancer which causes so much distress for victims like Mohammed who worked in factories and warehouses where asbestos was regularly used. Sadly, many employers did not do enough to manage the risks of asbestos exposure despite knowing how dangerous it is.

“We hope that the late Mr Zaman’s  former colleagues will come forward to help us investigate why more wasn’t done to protect employees like him from the deadly affects of asbestos so we can get help is family honour his memory.”

Mohammed, who was married to his wife Rashid for more than 40 years, first started to feel unwell in 2006 when he had difficulty breathing and lost a lot of weight. His doctor referred him to St James Hospital in Leeds where further tests and scans showed he was suffering from mesothelioma. His condition deteriorated and he died at his home on 11 June 2009.

The inquest into his death in 2010 March recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease. In his evidence, the coroner considered Mohammed’s lifetime witness statement, in which he described his working conditions at Cork Insulation and Asbestos Company and West Yorkshire Foundries

Anyone with information about the working conditions at the Cork Insulation and Asbestos Company and  West Yorkshire Foundries should contact Ian Toft at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office on 0113 218 6453 or email ian.toft@irwinmitchell.com.

If you or a loved one has been affected by an asbestos related illness, our solicitors can help you to claim compensation. See our Asbestos Claims page for more information.