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24 July 2019 | Witness Appeals | Article by Angharad Jones

Did you work with Kenneth Philpott at East Moors Steelworks?


Mr Kenneth Philpott lived and worked in Cardiff. A large portion of his career was spent at East Moors Steelworks. Sadly, Ken’s wife, Mrs Jeanette Maria Philpott, passed away after suffering from a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma.

The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust. It is thought that Mr Philpott may have been exposed to asbestos during his working career at the Steelworks. Mrs Philpott laundered Mr Philpott’s overalls by hand, which may have been covered in dust, meaning she too would have been exposed to asbestos.

Mrs Philpott’s family have now launched an appeal to try and trace former colleagues of Mr Philpott in the hope they can provide further information about the work he undertook.

Kenneth, who lived in the Cardiff area all of his life, is thought to have been exposed to asbestos whilst working at East Moors Steelworks in Cardiff, invariably known as ‘Dowlais by the Sea’. During this time, it is thought that Kenneth worked in the melting factory, as a brick layer and on the scaffolding. It is believed he started at East Moors in 1958 where he remained until the Steelworks closed in 1978. Kenneth, following the closure of the Steelworks, then became a window cleaner.

It is believed that Mr Philpott may have come into contact with and worked in close proximity to the dangerous material asbestos during his employment whilst working at East Moors Steelworks.

Mr Philpott’s family are keen to hear from any former colleagues from the Steelworks about the work he carried out and the work conditions in which he worked.

From the information we have obtained so far, it is believed that Mr Philpott could potentially have been exposed to asbestos during his employment at the Steelworks. We are now trying to help the Philpott family to find former colleagues who worked with Mr Philpott so that we can gain a full understanding about where Mr Philpott may have been exposed to asbestos. It is important we speak with his former work colleagues to better understand the nature of the work he performed.

The Philpott family has instructed specialist asbestos lawyers at Hugh James to investigate whether and, if so how, Mr Philpott came into contact with the hazardous material, asbestos. Former colleagues that knew Mr Philpott can get in touch by clicking on the button below.

About Hugh James

Based in Cardiff and London, Hugh James is a Top 100 firm, employing a team of around 600 people, including over 50 partners. Its specialist industrial illness team represents individuals and groups throughout England and Wales.

Armed with the experience and specialist knowledge that is required for this complex area, Hugh James has helped thousands of people who have been either injured or developed an illness as a result of their work. The team also has significant experience in working on industrial disease group actions, where more than one person has been by affected in the workplace.

Author bio

Angharad is a Senior Associate in the Industrial Disease department and has over three years of experience in dealing with asbestos related disease claims. She acts for patients suffering from asbestos related diseases including asbestosis, pleural thickening and mesothelioma, and also specialises in claims for silicosis.

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

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