Asbestos dust blamed for man’s death
EXPOSURE to deadly asbestos dust caused the death of a York industrial worker, an inquest heard.
Roy Shackleton, 83, of Gardeners Close, in Copmanthorpe, died on January 3, after suffering from severe chest problems during his later years.
York Coroner Donald Coverdale said his work for a West Yorkshire factory during the 1950s had caused his death, recording a verdict of death by industrial disease.
He said: “The picture is abundantly clear and there is only one verdict I can record - his death was from the industrial disease pulmonary fibrosis.
“Some 40 years obviously passed before Mr Shackleton became ill with his condition.
“But the unfortunate nature of asbestos-related diseases is that it can so often be many, many years a
fter exposure to asbestos that any symptoms occur.”
The inquest heard how Mr Shackleton was exposed to asbestos for four years when he worked as a warper at Cape Plc, formerly Cape Asbestos, in Hebden Bridge.
In a statement he wrote to his solicitors prior to his death to support a compensation claim, Mr Shackleton, wrote: “I was constantly touching asbestos the whole time.
“There would be dust floating in the air and that would go into my hair. I was provided with a mask, but this did not stop the dust from getting into my mouth.
“The mask itself had dust in the inside and it was not effective.”
A post-mortem report established the cause of death as bronchopneumonia due to pulmonary fibrosis, which was caused by asbestos exposure.
The pathologist’s report to the coroner said there were a number of asbestos particles present throughout his lung tissue and that pleural plaques were also present.
Mr Shackleton’s chest physician at York Hospital agreed the plaques had been caused by his work at Cape Plc.
He said: “He has a history of heavy asbestos exposure for several years and I think it is reasonable to attribute the plaques to that exposure.
“The discovery of the plaques in the 1990s is quite consistent with the cause and effect.”