n support of D3NIS: His petition for asbestos related disease sufferers rights in England
I am urging everybody who reads this to sign the petition posted on this site by D3NIS, just a few days ago.
I know a lot of people tend to think of asbestos related diseases as occupational and those who worked with asbestos knew the risks. Wrong. Asbestos workers were not informed of the dangers and happily worked on in total ignorance. In 1967 I proudly came home and eagerly told my Dad I had an interview at Turner Brother's Asbestos, he said, “No you haven't, most people there get bad chests. You're not going to work there” I didn't turn up for the interview. My Dad knew asbestos was a health hazard in1967, why didn't the Job Centre? Thanks Dad. The dangers of asbestos were known in the 1920s, yet they only started banning it's use in the 1980s. Why? Personally, I think a lot of people made a lot of money. I also think this has the potential to become a massive problem and successive governments are trying to solve it by ignoring it!
For some years I ran a small contracting company, installing fire alarm and access control systems. I worked in hospitals, universities, large companies and one large airport. In all of these places asbestos lurked. Asbestos is safe until it's damaged or disturbed, but we would be disturbing it. Sometimes the presence of asbestos was notified in the job specification and sometimes it wasn't. But in all cases asbestos was spoken of in hushed tones. In one meeting at a university, I raised the issue and was promptly shushed because a secretary was taking minutes. I reported one very large and well known company because they had their employees removing around 9000 square meters of asbestos tiles, putting themselves, other workers on the site and the public in danger. They got a slap on the wrist and had to bring in a specialist company. Result! This was 1996. And so it goes on....
Please sign D3NIS' petition. I would have included a direct link but don't know how and it's late and I'm tired.
Will definitely sign as Daz as I know him has been on this site for a long time and is such a fighter. I have seen documentaries on asbestos and what it did to people so am very happy to sign any petition. xx
Unfortunately, people with asbestos related illnesses have to fight their corner, when there should be no fight. A little mea culpa from industry and governments wouldn't go amiss.
It seems as if a lot of fighting has to be done by so many because the wonderful politicians have not a clue about anything and neither does industry. May the fight continue and be won. Carole
Thank you for the reminder, I have now signed. Xris
as i have advanced asbestosis i will sign this without a doubt i was a motor mechanic and welder asbestos blankets, brake shoes,all the dust being blown out then clouds dust as floors were swept at night
in reply to
Hello lilybasil
I'm an ex-smoker and full time COPDER. The only person to blame for my condition is me. I knew the risks and I still sat happily in clouds of smoke. But, you guys were just earning a living, whilst being kept in total ignorance of the dangers.
I've just heard on TV that 85per cent of schools have asbestos in there school ,and the gove rent is burying it's head!! So when your children are my age they will be dead!
Am I wrong in thinking there was a time when government would help protect us from the corruption of large powerful companies?Now it seems there is little to choose from between the two .I of course support the petition started by Denis,I don,t have many followers but did post it on my Twitter account.D.
I'd like to think so, but the cynic in me feels that it was just smoke and mirrors. And the really cynical part of me feels that ordinary men and women, have never amounted to much more than cannon or factory fodder.
Take care FarmerD
PS I'd follow you on twitter but I don't do it or facebook, bit of a sad git really!
Hello Katie, I too was one of the first to sign. On Saturday/Sunday, I was lying in bed, unable to sleep, when my phone went, bing-bong. At first I was convinced it was Camelot, telling of the riches I'd won, but no, it was an email from Kevin via Change.org. And the truth is, I was shocked and saddened that such a worthwhile petition had attracted so few signatures. I have been a member of Change.org for a few months now and of the petitions I've signed, some have been successful, whilst others are making good progress. I know petitions can work. Kevin's cause certainly deserves to be successful. I have COPD, all my own fault, to smoke or not, my choice.
Steve, I PMed Denis and asked to put the reference here again. I wasn't aware of it. but I feel it's so important that it could be put here again. Thanks for alerting us. Mic
Thank you Steve, Yes, More than ever I take the gym to heart. The more I do it the better I feel ( as attested by the CTscan that shows my illness is milder than it was). Cheers, Mic
That's twice I've been inspired today. Once by Jolyn, and now you. Today has been a good day! Thank you, Mic. I think you should post this and inspire others.
I've just retired, although I finished working a few years back. Not because of COPD, though, I didn't know I had it back then.
I was a truck driver, a job really enjoyed. I was good at it and well paid too. I moved containers about the country, mainly to and from the southern ports. And then the apple cart was upturned with a series of, and still undiagnosed, partial blackouts. 44 tonne trucks and dodgy drivers don't mix. I still miss it.
But on a lighter note. It takes a lot to inspire me and for it to happen twice in one day. The best day for some time.
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