The widow of a former steelworker who died of an asbestos-related cancer has appealed for anyone who worked alongside him throughout his career to come forward with information that may help to determine whether his illness is linked to his work history.
Thomas Mason, 76, from Stourbridge, sadly passed away in May 2023, just months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma - an incurable cancer associated with asbestos exposure in the workplace, which often happens decades before symptoms arise.
After his diagnosis in late 2022, Mr. Mason instructed industrial disease experts at Thompsons Solicitors to identify where he had been exposed to asbestos.
Mr Mason in the 1970s
Whilst he sadly passed away soon after, his wife, Josie, has pledged to continue his battle for answers. She is now urging anyone who may have worked alongside him throughout his career as a steelworker to come forward with information about the working conditions he experienced.
Having left school at 15 in the 1960s, Mr Mason started his career as a trainee welder working for Old Park Engineering in Dudley. He built equipment such as gantries for cranes and props for mines before moving departments to become a trainee electrician.
18 months later, he joined the drop forge industry, working for various organisations, before joining Round Oak Steel Works in the mid-1960s. There, he stayed for around 15 years until he was made redundant in the 1980s, initially as a shift helper and then as a fourth-hand furnace man.
The family’s legal team is now looking to speak to anyone who recalls working with him at any stage of his career who may hold vital information. They are particularly keen to talk to anyone who worked on the continuous casting operation at Round Oak Steel Works.
After leaving the Steel Works, he worked in numerous roles for different companies, including as a labourer.
Commenting on the loss of her husband, Mrs Josephine Mason said: “It was so hard to watch Thomas’ condition deteriorate. He had always been so active, but he struggled with his breathing towards the end and had to have his lungs drained of fluid regularly.
“He became too ill to undergo chemotherapy, and we sadly lost him just a few months after he was diagnosed with his condition.
“It’s left us with so many questions about how and when he was exposed to the asbestos. We’re desperate to know what happened and whether more could have been done to protect him.”
Recalling her husband’s work history, she added: “For many years, like many men in the area, he worked at the Round Oak Steel Works in Brierley Hill. So, there must be lots of people who remember him during that time.
“Likewise, we hope that anyone who has worked with him before and after his time at the steel works who can provide us with some insight into the working conditions and the potential presence of asbestos.”
Alan Dolphin, an industrial disease expert at Thompsons Solicitors who is representing Mrs Mason, said: “Mrs Mason and her family are desperate to understand better the circumstances surrounding Mr Mason’s asbestos exposure, and they would be very grateful to anyone who may have information that could help them in their pursuit of justice.
“We would welcome any information that anyone who worked alongside Mr Mason at any point during his career might have, and we are particularly keen to speak to those who knew him whilst at Round Oak Steel Works, where he spent many years.”
For further information or to provide details that might assist in Mr Mason’s case, please contact Alan Dolphin at Thompsons Solicitors on 0121 262 1261 or alandolphin@thompsons.law.
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