Appeal For Former Colleagues To Assist With Battle For Justice

A former plumber’s mate from Altrincham who was diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease earlier this year has joined with specialist lawyers to call on his ex-colleagues to come forward and help him gain justice regarding his illness.

Alan Ferguson, 72, from Timperley, was told in August that he had developed asbestosis, a chronic inflammatory disease caused by exposure to asbestos which affects lung tissue and increases the risk of developing certain asbestos related diseases such as mesothelioma.

Following his diagnosis, Alan instructed Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Asbestos-Related Disease team to help him gain answers and justice regarding how he developed the illness. 

Now, as part of their efforts to develop a clearer picture of his employment history, the legal experts are keen to speak to anyone who worked with Alan during his time at Chorlton-based firm Robert Heyworth & Co in the 1960s, which is when he believes he may have been exposed to asbestos.

Dominic Hemsi, the legal expert at Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office who is representing Alan, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Sadly cases like this are all too common, with the devastating legacy of asbestos meaning that people develop serious illnesses many decades after exposure to the material is thought to have taken place.

“We are now hard at work investigating how Alan may have been exposed to the deadly material and would be keen to get further details on the working conditions he faced while employed by Robert Heyworth & Co.

“Any information provided could prove vital in our efforts to ensure that Alan gets both the answers and justice he deserves regarding his illness.” Dominic Hemsi - Partner

Alan worked at Robert Heyworth & Co between 1963 and 1967, with his role involving him visiting commercial sites including factories, schools and offices to repair, maintain and install boilers and pipework.

He recalled: “The work would often mean breaking old asbestos lagging off pipework and boilers, with this process often meaning that dust was generated and sent into the air.

“I also had to work with asbestos-based products like caulking tape and flue pipes which also needing to be cut to size. Again, this meant that dust was released.

“I am completely devastated by my diagnosis and feel frustrated that this could have been caused by one of my jobs. I feel I deserve to know why more was not done to protect me and any help with this would be hugely appreciated.”

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact Dominic Hemsi at Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office on 0161 259 1516 or email Dominic.Hemsi2@IrwinMitchell.com. 

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in asbestosis claims.