POWER station workers used to play in toxic asbestos dust before they knew it was deadly, an inquest heard.
In a statement written shortly before his death from a lung tumour in January, Leonard English, aged 86, of New Road, Abbey Wood, described how he and colleagues would kick and throw the lethal powder.
An inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court, on June 12, heard how Mr English worked at three power stations from the 1930s to the 1950s, including Woolwich power station, where he was a shift engineer.
He was exposed to asbestos nearly all his working life and was diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2002.
He said in his statement: “I have handled asbestos and I fully recall really thick clouds of asbestos in power stations I worked in.
“Staff used to kick and throw the asbestos about. Nobody seemed to be aware of the dangers.” Mr English died on January 21.
Coroner Dr Adela Williams said: “There is no doubt Mr English died as a result of substantial exposure to asbestos at work and that asbestos was the cause of his mesothelioma.” Dr Williams recorded a verdict Mr English died as a result of an industrial disease.
l Do you remember working at the power station and have memories or photographs of your time there? Call Melanie on 01689 885724.
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