Wigan Album

Looking back on this photo it occurred to me that the young lad wielding the bolt cutters appears to be engaged in dismantling what would appear to be a roof clad with asbestos sheets , without the protection of breathing filtration apparatus or any other basic form of p.e.p.

What a difference in attitudes 36 years make.

Presumably , the incurable medical condition , mesothelioma wasn’t well known about in 1986 .

I certainly had never heard of it until a good friend and work colleague of mine lost his life to mesothelioma in 2015 .

I hope the same thing doesn’t happen to this lad .
But if it does , then at least his family will have this photo to prove he had contact with asbestos during his working life to help reinforce their claim for compensation .

But let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that .