Mrs Margaret Wilkins worked for British American Optics all of her working life. She worked at their factory in Kidwelly from 1960 to 1966. Mrs Wilkins sadly passed away in the summer of 2020. British American Optics were a large employer in the local area.
As far as we know, Mrs Wilkins worked in the Bowfield section of the factory. Her role was to brush the moulds and to put the caps into the mould, throwing the rejects away. A film was then pulled down by way of a press onto the top of the lenses using intense heat. After this, the lenses were left to cool before being sent to the next department for the lenses to be fitted into the frame.
It is believed that furnaces were present at the factory which used heat to mould the lenses. It is also thought that asbestos lagged pipework ran throughout the factory.
Mrs Wilkins’ family are keen to hear from anyone who worked at British American Optics during the 1960s, especially if they know how asbestos may have been used.
The Wilkins family have instructed specialist asbestos lawyers at Hugh James to investigate whether and, if so how, Mrs Wilkins came into contact with the hazardous material, asbestos.
