Attempt to trace asbestos cause

Norman Grimshaw

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A HEARTBROKEN sister is trying to trace where her brother was exposed to asbestos after he attempted to take his own life after struggling with lung disease.

Norman Grimshaw (65) wrote a suicide note to Susan Shaw before taking a cocktail of prescription drugs he had been taking to cope with the pain.

The recently retired hotel chef had been diagnosed with asbestosis and pleural plaques, which cause scarring and thickening of the lining of his lungs, just six months earlier. Following his attempted overdose he called an ambulance but died in hospital eight days later in September 2013.

An inquest found his death was caused by respiratory failure as a result of his lungs being damaged by breathing in asbestos dust.

Norman grew up in Oldham, attending Counthill Grammar School before completing an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at the former Manchester Tech.

He worked as a wood machinist at George Hill timber merchants in Oldham from around 1964 to 1970 before moving to Newquay where he worked as a kitchen porter, for a kitchen fitter and, finally, in a hotel kitchen.

Susan (56), from Hollins, said: "It's tragic. He loved being around people but went from being the life and soul of the party to barely being able to leave his flat.

"He couldn't breathe, he could no longer manage the stairs. He didn't like burdening people and that's why he tried to kill himself.

"It said in his diary he couldn't handle it any more. That was the last thing he wrote.

"I am angry because if the risks were known, he should have been better protected and could have had many more years with us. It's such a waste of life." She added that her brother had told her that workers at George Hill used to make snowballs with the dust and throw it at each other, leaving his clothes covered in dust when he arrived home.

The mum-of-two added: "After he left, he moved to Cornwall and had various jobs in hotels until he retired.

"He may have been exposed to asbestos in one of those jobs - I just don't know."

Simon Alexander, an industrial disease expert from law firm Slater and Gordon, is trying to trace where Norman would have been exposed to the asbestos which led to his death.

He said: "Many employers were aware of the potential dangers, but chose to ignore them.

"Some 30 or 40 years later, their former employees are now paying for those mistakes with their lives.

"The last few months of Norman's life would have been painful and desperately sad for a man who loved being out and about and surrounded by his friends.

"Susan deserves to know how this happened to her brother." Anyone with information is asked to call Simon Alexander on 0161 383 3408 or email Simon.Alexander@slatergordon.co.uk.