Long-time Electrician Succumbs to Mesothelioma

January 18, 2007 - A 70-year-old Harrington, England man who spent his life working as an electrician died of mesothelioma as a result of on-the-job exposure to asbestos, a coroner’s report determined.

Allan McFarland, who worked for High Duty Alloys since 1953, was diagnosed with the disease in late 2004 and passed away in October 2006.  An account of the story in England’s News and Star newspaper states that McFarland maintained his job as an electrician until 1974, and during that time was exposed to both brown and white asbestos in a number of forms.

His friend and colleague, Peter Hall, said in a statement: “The two of us started our apprenticeships together, and worked at the aluminum extrusion site in Workington.

"We got the most exposure to asbestos in the early 1950s and would have to cut sheets of it to size using hand tools such as hacksaws.”

“We were never provided with masks or protective clothing, and were not given any warnings about the dangers of exposure to asbestos. The first indication we got was in 1969 when a leaflet came round,” notes Hall.  “In 1979, the cutting of asbestos was banned at the site due to pressure from workers.”

McFarland started legal proceedings against High Duty Alloys before he passed away and was paid a settlement, with the company admitting liability for workplace exposure to the dangerous material.