Asbestos Legislation

An 84-year-old Crewe, UK man who was reportedly exposed to asbestos while working as an apprentice as a teenager, recently received compensation from the company responsible.

According to the Crewe Chronicle, Albert Greenwood worked as an apprentice pipe fitter at Crewe Railway Works, where he claimed he was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis and was not warned of the health consequences.

The news source reports that Greenwood was ultimately diagnosed with asbestosis in May 2010 after he reported suffering breathing problems. After the diagnosis, Greenwood decided to take legal action and eventually reached a settlement with the company.

"I’m delighted with this compensation," Greenwood told the news source. "I had no idea about how dangerous my working conditions were until later years when my friends and colleagues began to suffer from asbestos related conditions."

In addition to asbestosis, the inhalation of deadly asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and the rare cancer malignant mesothelioma. According to the UK newspaper the Mirror, malignant mesothelioma kills one person approximately every five hours in Britain.