Family appeals for information from colleagues of former electrician who died of mesothelioma aged 76

Paul Pugh’s family is appealing to his former colleagues to help them build a picture of his daily working conditions to try to find out how he came into contact with the lethal substance which caused his terminal cancer and premature death.  

Paul worked for the following companies in Staffordshire:  

• Shelley Furnaces from 1962 until 1970, making fitting bus-bars and wiring for control panels
• Michelin Tyre Company from 1970 until 1973, breaking down and maintaining a variety of machinery
• Donald Shelley Limited from 1973 until 1976, wiring and instrument fitting
• G Embrey Limited, shift maintenance electrician before he later emigrated to Perth, Australia in 1982 

Whilst employed by Shelley Furnaces and Donald Shelley Limited, Paul recalled working around furnaces where asbestos was used.  

 

Paul was diagnosed with mesothelioma in January 2023 and died just three months later aged 76. 

Paul’s family turned to law firm Leigh Day to investigate the possible presence of asbestos at Paul’s former workplaces.   

“Mesothelioma is a devastating diagnosis to receive as it is an aggressive, terminal form of cancer which develops in an individual decades after initial exposure to asbestos. I urge anyone who worked at any of his former places of employment at a similar time and has any knowledge about the potential presence of asbestos to get in touch.” 

If you are able to provide any relevant information about Paul’s work environments, please contact Kevin Johnson at KTJohnson@leighday.co.uk