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Isle of Wight: Civil claim over asbestos death

Civil claim over asbestos death

By County Press Reporter - Friday, November 21, 2008
A CIVIL claim is being mounted by a union on behalf a widow whose husband died at the age of just 49 from exposure to killer asbestos.
Island coroner John Matthews said: “He has been dreadfully robbed of many years of active life — and his retirement — by exposure to a substance about which the dangers were known.
“It is therefore surprising that no protection was given to him.”
Mr Matthews said Graham Chiverton was the youngest asbestos death for which he had been called to hold an inquest.
He said Mr Chiverton, from The Broadway, Sandown, developed mesothelioma after being in contact with asbestos from 1986 when he repaired, among other things, the asbestos roofs of farm buildings.
A statement made by builder and carpenter Mr Chiverton after the incurable disease was diagnosed, was read to Tuesday’s inquest.
Mr Chiverton, who was promoted to site foreman for construction firm Mountjoy, said that before he started work with the Isle of Wight Council’s direct labour organisation — that later became Island Group 90 and then Mountjoy — he had not been exposed to asbestos.
But from the late 1980s until the mid 90s he was in contact with roofing materials during his work.
Asbestos was removed by specialists following that.
In October 2007, he became breathless, mesothelioma was confirmed and he died at the Earl Mountbatten Hospice on August 13, a month after returning from a cruise with his wife Jane, the inquest was told.
A verdict of death by industrial disease was recorded.
After the inquest, Mrs Chiverton said the union of which her husband was a member was pursuing the claim. The Isle of Wight Council said it had not yet received notification and could not comment.