Last year Stanlow Oil Refinery was at the centre of a number of safety concerns, with some contractors refusing to work there due to the health and safety problems.
The site, which is now owned by Essar, has suffered a long list of incidents. On top of an accident where machinery broke a man’s arm, an onsite fire and a crane collapse, there was an asbestos disturbance at the site.
Whilst details of the asbestos incident are difficult to find, it is not surprising that there would be asbestos at the refinery.
Is asbestos dangerous?
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals with fire retardant properties. It was cheap and durable and so was used extensively in the UK construction industry throughout the 20th century.
Although the use of asbestos began to decline in the late 1990s, it was not banned in the UK until the year 2000. Therefore, many buildings, homes and workplaces will contain asbestos still today.
If asbestos is in a good state of repair and is not disturbed, it should not cause any health issues. It is only when the asbestos fibres become airborne, and so can be inhaled or ingested, that they carry a risk.
The incident at Stanlow Oil Refinery appears to have caused a disturbance of asbestos and so there is a chance that workers could have been exposed to asbestos fibres.
Asbestos conditions are rare
Although research into asbestos conditions has made huge strides, there is still no ultimate cure for asbestos diseases and nothing can be done to prevent them once exposure to asbestos has occurred. Thankfully, asbestos conditions are rare and no one is guaranteed to develop an asbestos disease following exposure. Many people who have been exposed to asbestos have no associated health issues.
What to do if you think you have been exposed to asbestos
If you think you have been exposed to asbestos, we would recommend you see your GP and have the exposure noted in your medical records. We would also recommend you note down the details of your exposure, including details of any potential witnesses. You should also obtain the employer’s liability and/or public liability insurers of the company that caused your exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos conditions have a latency period of between 10 and 50 years. This means that if someone were to be exposed to asbestos, they may not show symptoms of an asbestos-related disease for many years after the exposure.
This is why it is important to gather insurance information now as in 20 or 30 years the company may no longer be trading but a claim for asbestos compensation can still be brought against the insurers.
If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos disease claim or believe you have a valid asbestos claim for any other disease, please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.