Recently, Turner Freeman Lawyers Perth assisted a former employee who worked at an abattoir in Fremantle who contracted mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos during his employment.

The building where our client worked was built pre-World War II, the structure was extremely old and therefore asbestos corrugated sheeting was used on the roofs and throughout most of the buildings. Asbestos rope, half pipe sections and cloth were used as insulation for steam and hot water pipes throughout the abattoir as well as around the cookers within the byproducts rooms used to cook offal.

Maintenance was always ongoing around the abattoir in order to improve the meat works and increase capacity. Asbestos lagging was often repaired, removed and replaced by tradesmen with the labourers assisting with clean up and exposing themselves to asbestos dust.

During the off season employees were sent to assist within other areas of the abattoir such as the byproducts room and other laboring jobs around the meat works.

Turner Freeman successfully settled our client’s claim and as a result he is now able to access the medical treatments he requires.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to see so many people still continue to contract this deadly disease.