Man died from asbestos exposure

11:20am Thursday 3rd July 2008

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A MAN died from a lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure when he worked for a power company, an inquest has been told.

Malvyn Fulford, of Taits Hill Rd, Stinchcombe, worked for the Central Electricity Generating Board between 1961 and 1970, 1972 and 1981 where he spent a lot of time at the Marchwood Power Station at Southampton.

From 1962 he worked near the boilers, replacing tubes and similar work.

"These were thick with asbestos dust," he said in a statement taken before his death.

"There was no effective sealed vacuum system and no process to inspect the area for safe working.

"In nine years at Marchwood, there were no health and safety systems for dealing with the asbestos waste - not until the 1970s when things like safety masks came in."

Dr Martin Freeman, Mr Fulford's GP, said his patient was generally fit and active until he came into the surgery in July 2006 with a dry cough. In August Mr Fulford had a chest X-ray which confirmed the presence of mesothelioma.

Despite radiotherapy and chemotherapy, Mr Fulford died at home on July 5 last year, aged 64.

Pathologist Dr Jonathan Christie-Brown told the Gloucester inquest that mineral fibres from Mr Fulford's lung tissue had been sent for analysis and returned a result of 1,053,172 mineral fibres per gram - 240,497 of which were coated.

"This is a significant result which suggests occupational linkage," he said.

Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore said the pathology results were very high and was satisfied that Mr Fulford died of the industrial disease of mesothelioma.

A verdict of death by industrial disease was recorded.