Wigan Album

They forgot to mention all the asbestos you could breath in.

Yes Pw, I remember being told that many years ago there was a dump in the fields off Smiths Lane for the toxic waste from there, true or not I don't know. But suspicions were raised again in 2017:- https://m.facebook.com/groups/578173152389308/permalink/627891047417518/

I worked there for a couple of years in the early70’s and in those fields were ramshackle old brick sheds full of asbestos in rotting hessian sacks.I installed some lights in them and all we given was a flimsy face mask and we were covered on asbestos,the ares must have been contaminated with the stuff.The glass works is still spewing out fumes 24/7 but they say they are safe.They said that about the asbestos.My cousin worked there and died of asbestosis.

So it seems to be true. I can imagine you were glad to be out of there Pw, there was an article in the newspaper some months ago of a woman who had died from that disease. Her husband had worked at Turner's for years and died of it some months previously, and even though she hadn't worked there it was found she'd got it having hand washed his overalls every week and had been breathing in the dust from them. Nasty stuff - and they also told them that dug it by hand from the ground that it was safe to do so, even when they were dropping like flies. The saying based on the poem by Sir Walter Scott is so true - Oh what a tangled web of lies they weave, when at first they practice to deceive.

I had a good friend who worked there for 8 years and she died from the asbestos. It was discovered by a post-mortem. It can show up years later. I worked in the rubber dept for 18 months, but asbestos could be picked up in the canteen, where all departments mixed.

Correct Veronica,I worked in the maintenance dept.You could be working in asbestos one job and in the offices the next job.Health and Saftey was practically non existent.

There were other substances used that weren’t safe as well Pw. I worked with a team of girls and we used to cut lengths of rubber (to be made into various sized rings)with a sharp knife, the knife used to get blunt so we had to dip it in a can of liquid at the side of the bench, this allowed the knife to become sharp again. We even wiped our hands with the stuff to get black rubber paint off our hands. I think it was called ‘Benzine’… when you look back over the years… the substances you were in contact with! Up to now I’ve survived - luckily..

Correct Veronica,I worked in the maintenance dept.You could be working in asbestos one job and in the offices the next job.Health and Saftey was practically non existent.

Do not know why comment has appeared twice.

There are plans to make the old TBA site in Rochdale into nature reserve.From what I know it was far more contaminated than the Hindley Green site and that was is a mess.

Just had a read of that Pw,
http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/147209/call-to-turn-site-of-former-asbestos-factory-into-nature-reserve-as-councillor-says-it-will-take-%E2%80%98a-monumental-effort%E2%80%99-to-make-it-safe-for-housing

Typical council decision to try and bury something and hoping it will be forgotten, thankfully there is a councillor at Rochdale who knows that no amount of soil will make it go away because the asbestos fibres will never, ever go away, and it isn't just around those sites either as I was surprised when I read on the web, link below, about asbestos being in almost everything used in buildings, I knew about it being used for roofing and for fireproofing but not in those other areas, and if I in the future shall be knocking or drilling into walls etc., I'll be wearing a mask. German research shows you sometimes can't escape it, but you can make yourself safe from it.
https://www.dw.com/en/asbestos-a-cancer-risk-lurking-in-the-wall/a-46170006

Having said that I like many others have more than likely long had exposure to asbestos fibres, I remember as kids we would put those asbestos roofing sheets onto fires and wait for them to explode, obviously, but unknown to us at the time, sending loads of miniscule asbestos fibres into the air, also those gas masks from WW2 we bought from Kay's to re-enact battles - apparently they contained large amounts of asbestos within the filters.

The south block of TBA was used by a subsidiary called Turners Asbestos Construction.One part mixed asbestos with cement which was used to spray directly onto walls for insulation and a quick cover for bare walls.They even made the spray machines which were called Limpet and trained people to use them.They also made heat shields that were used in many cars and vehicles and also products for brake linings.There were also weaving asbestos to make heat resisting materials.The front of Turners factory was always well kept with gardens and well kept lawns,they had their own gardeners,but inside it was disgusting place.I certainly was glad to leave and get out.There must be plenty people who suffered from working at Turners and thousands of people who unsuspectingly used and came into contact with their products.The company used to send workers for medicals which included breathing tests,blood tests and chest X rays so they new it was dangerous stuff.

I am from and live in Rochdale. I recall the bus(es) from Wigan in the late 1970's bringing workers every day and working at TBA Rochdale, off Roolley Moor road. Quite a few 'Wigginers' moved to Rochdale, and still live here.