Former ceiling tile factory worker settles claim nine months after asbestos-related cancer diagnosis

George Fraser, aged 88, worked for Armstrong Cork Limited in Gateshead between 1965 to 1971.

The factory produced floor and ceiling tiles for schools and hospitals across the UK. As a maintenance fitter, a key part of George’s role involved emptying asbestos out of filtration machines when it was being made into ceiling tiles.

George says he saw his colleagues pour raw asbestos fibres from sacks into a vat, where it was mixed with other materials. Every weekend George undertook maintenance of the vat, as well as repairs when needed.

The vat still contained remnants of the asbestos mixture when George worked on it, and raw materials often clung to his hands and his clothes.

Once out of the vat, the mixture containing asbestos would go into an oven on trays before being put through a sander. The sanding process produced significant amounts of dust, including asbestos fibres.

Occasionally George worked on the sanding machines, which were inundated with loose asbestos dust from the sanding process.

The dust was extracted through pipes and collected into an enclosed unit, where George worked carrying out maintenance, often for two to three hours at a time, once or twice a month over the course of a year.

Armstrong Cork did not provide George with a mask or any protective equipment to prevent him from breathing in asbestos fibres.

In November 2024, George started to experience breathlessness. Over time this occurred more frequently. He underwent a CT scan the same month and a thickened pleura was found. This is a membrane that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity.

George’s doctors thought it may be mesothelioma and fluid was taken for testing, however the results were inconclusive.

In January 2025, George was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He instructed partner Steven Dickens from Leigh Day’s asbestos team to pursue a claim.

Just nine months later, in October 2025, the case settled for a six-figure sum. 

Asbestos claims specialist Steven Dickens said:

“I am really pleased that we were able to secure this settlement on behalf of our client in a relatively short timeframe.

“Many of our clients highlight that they think too much time has passed for their claim to be successful. This claim truly debunks that concern. Our team is prepared to fully investigate these cases with conviction.

"The devastating consequences of historical asbestos exposure are still being felt by families many decades after their loved ones were required to work with this deadly substance.”