Brian JAMES EASEY · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 16 December 2020 I commenced an investigation into the death of Brian James EASEY aged 79. The investigation has not yet concluded and the inquest has not been heard.

Mr Easey was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September 2020. He provided a witness statement dated 21.10.20 setting out an account of his work exposure to asbestos as follows:

In 1965 Mr Easey began working as a registror for the London Borough of Lambeth and later became a deputy superintendent. He worked there for 19 years. Mr Easey believed that he was exposed to asbestos whilst working at 340 Brixton Road, on a daily basis he would frequently have to enter a fire-proof, strong-room repository room that is believed to have been clad with asbestos. The room was very dusty and the registers would be covered with layers of dust. He stated he often picked them up and used his arm to remove the dust or blew on it to disperse it. There was no ventilation was in the room.

Mr Easey later started working for West Sussex County Council (WSCC) in 1984 as a superintendent registrar. For the first 16 years working for WSCC he was based at 15 Mill Road, Worthing. Mr Easey stated that he was exposed to asbestos in the fireproof repository, as the door contained asbestos and the walls were made from asbestos insulation boards. Mr Easey stated that he would enter the room frequently on a daily basis. Mr Easey would brush away the dust with his sleeve causing the dust to be released into the air around him. Mr Easey would often search for records and be leaning against the walls which would leave dust marks on his clothes.

Mr Easey has stated that in around 2006 WSCC decided to relocate to Centenary House in Worthing and due to this Mr Easey spent a lot of time in the room moving records and preparing them for transportation. He described it as an extremely dusty process. He undertook this work alone and would be covered in dust by the end of his day. The records relocated to Centenary House were located in a larger modern strong room.

In August 2020 Mr Easey began feeling breathless and as a result he was sent for a CT scan and tests. He was diagnosed with biphasic mesothelioma on 17 September 2020 and died from this condition on 13 December 2020.

(1) In view of Mr Easey’s description of the dust present on the council records in both locations there appears to me a real risk that these records were, and remain, contaminated with asbestos fibres;

(2) Should there currently be asbestos fibres present on the records this presents a risk of asbestos exposure to all those whose come into contact with the records with an associated risk of developing fatal mesothelioma.