Daughter hopes dad’s old work pals can help asbestos compensation claim

A woman whose dad died from a suspected asbestos cancer battle hopes his former work colleagues hold vital information to help her family get justice. 

Jim Campbell, 76, passed away just five months after being diagnosed with a tumour that is feared to be an asbestos-related cancer called mesothelioma.  

It’s thought the grandfather from Clydebank was exposed to the deadly substance during his work as a professional asbestos remover after not being given the right safety equipment.

Arlene McNab, Jim’s daughter, now hopes former colleagues can shed light on past practices to help hold the relevant people accountable for her father’s untimely death.

She said: “When we found out dad may have died from asbestos exposure it didn’t feel right to just sit back and accept it.

“If any companies put dad at risk they deserve to be held accountable for him not being here anymore.

“He was a popular man so I’m hoping there’s an old work mate somewhere who holds the key to help unlock justice, not just for us but maybe other families too.”

Jim died on 17 July 2024 just five months after being diagnosed with a malignant tumour.

In that time the once fit and strong 5’5” tradesman’s weight plummeted to just 32kg (five-and-a-half stones).

A post-mortem later confirmed he had a 7cm tumour in his right lung consistent with tumours seen in mesothelioma. 

Jim was also found to have suffered from a second condition called pleural plaques which hardened the lining of his lungs.

Both mesothelioma and pleural plaques are known to only be caused by asbestos exposure so there is now a legal investigation to see if there were any failings at Jim’s work that would have contributed to his ill health and early death.

Witness evidence from former colleagues, who were engaged in multiple different demolition projects across Scotland, have shed light on how Jim may have been exposed to asbestos to allow the mesothelioma to develop. 

For legal reasons the company name cannot be disclosed but one former worker noted some sites had “asbestos in the air” before workers even had a chance to put breathing masks on due to ceiling tiles hitting the floor and breaking on impact which released deadly fibres into the immediate environment.

Another revealed that workers at the time had medicals every two years to prove their fitness to work however doubts were raised about the assurance of these tests as asbestos diseases are known to only develop decades later. 

A third colleague also noted that some sites saw workers with no overalls despite the presence of ‘blue asbestos’ – a lethal form of the substance known as crocidolite which causes mesothelioma.

Arlene, aged 36 from Clydebank in Dunbartonshire, now hopes old friends of Jim will hold information that could strengthen the legal action. 

She added: “The stories I’ve heard since beginning this journey are incredible.

“Not just about dad’s work and the daily risks he took but the fact that so many people all over the country were likely affected by it and still are to this day.

“It breaks my heart to think that each day he went to work to provide for his family he was effectively being stripped of days from his future.

“If any of his old friends or colleagues remember working with him on various jobs where there were issues around asbestos then it would mean the world for you to reach out as your recollections could be the very thing to help me and my family get answers.

“The outcome of this case could then even help other families in the future if they also happen to be affected.

“I feel like it’s one of these situations where we all need to rally together and support each other to make a difference in the future.”

Alongside support from Digby Brown's Industrial Disease department, Arlene has had assistance from Clydebank Asbestos Group (CAG) in her quest for justice.

Rachel Gallagher, Manager at CAG, said: “I really admire what Arlene is hoping to achieve in memory of her father. 

“Sadly, Jim is one of hundreds, if not thousands, of Scots who’ve died from asbestos exposure even just in the last decade or so.

“It’s just devastating that even after more than 20 years since asbestos was banned in the UK we see no real reduction in lives being lost but that’s what makes missions like Arlene’s all the more vital.”

Caitlyn Maccabe, Partner at Digby Brown and specialist in asbestos compensation claims, added: “The legal requirement for PPE, ventilated workspaces and safe working practices have been in place since the 1930s – this means any workers who are close to asbestos must be kept safe from harm.

“The circumstances around Mr Campbell’s passing therefore raises reasonable doubts about whether his employers followed this legislation.

“The legal investigation for Jim’s family is at an early stage so it would be inappropriate to go into specifics however we will continue to support Arlene and her family during the process.”