Former Salford office worker appeals for information following mesothelioma diagnosis

The former office worker, who we will refer to as Jane, was diagnosed in January 2023 with mesothelioma, a terminal form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Jane believes that she may have been exposed to asbestos during the 1950s when she worked as an office administrator in Salford. She is now aged 86 and lives in Otley.

Asbestos may have been present in either of the premises where she worked and could also have been present in the factories that she regularly walked through. In the early 1950s when Jane was a teenager, she worked for Braileys Electroplaters Ltd, a company specialising in electroplating (the process of covering an object in a layer of metal).

Jane worked as an office junior and completed general administrative tasks such as answering phone calls. While she mostly worked in an office at the front of the building which was separate to the main factory, she would often walk through the factory to her boss’ office.

Throughout the majority of the 1950s Jane worked at Milford Astor Ltd, a printing company, completing administrative work such as typing invoices and doing export administration for the shipping department. Jane describes the premises as an old large Victorian terraced house where she worked in the attic space.

The building housed printing machines on two of the floors, and Jane would also have to visit the shop floor in the cellar every day.

Louisa Saville, Senior Associate Solicitor in the Leigh Day asbestos team, said:

“We would like to locate former employees who worked at either of the two factories during the 1950s and could provide us with any further information relating to the presence of asbestos in either building. We hope this will give us a clearer idea of how Jane may have been exposed to asbestos.

“Having never worked directly with asbestos herself, Jane’s exposure is likely to have been because of processes that were going on in her workplace that she was not aware of. We are appealing for anyone who worked at either Braileys Electroplaters Limited or Milford Astor Limited at a similar time who may be able to assist so that we can seek justice for Jane and her family.”

If you can provide any relevant information please contact Louisa Saville at LSaville@leighday.co.uk