John Flavin and wife Mary

THE family of a former trade union president who died from asbestos-related cancer are warning of the dangers still posed by the material to construction workers ahead of Workers’ Memorial Day.

John Flavin, a former president of UCATT, the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, who lived in Maida Vale, died aged 78 after being diagnosed with cancer. Lawyers have this week secured a settlement from three of his former employers from the 1960s and 1970s.

He worked on several building sites as a labourer and also on major construction projects where asbestos was sprayed onto steel and concrete frames.

His wife Mary, 86, and son and daughter, are warning of the continued risk of asbestos for Workers’ Memorial Day on Tuesday.

She said: “John spent his life fighting for safer conditions for construction workers. It’s devastating that the dangers he campaigned against eventually took him from us. Asbestos is still a real threat. Just because exposure happened years ago doesn’t mean the consequences are gone. If you work in older buildings, please take every precaution. John was a devoted husband and proud dad. Whether at home or in his role as a proud trade unionist he always felt a strong sense of justice and wanting the best for everyone, whether that be the children growing up or work colleagues. He always put others first, remaining active in campaigning for safer workplaces throughout his life.

“We miss John every day and so will many others. If sharing our story prevents one other family from going through this, it will be worth it.”

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals used extensively for insulation, fireproofing, and strength in buildings before it was banned in 2000. It is only highly dangerous when disturbed, causing it to release microscopic, inhalable fibres that can cause fatal diseases like mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

John Flavin was diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer in September 2021. He died in August 2022.

Workers’ Memorial Day, on April 28, honours those killed or harmed by their work and calls for improved health and safety standards.

Paul Ramsay, the specialist asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said: “While we’re pleased to have secured John’s loved ones with the answers and justice they deserve, what happened to John is a reminder of the devastating impact families can be left to face because of unsafe working practices. The use of asbestos has been banned in the UK for more than 25 years but the hazardous material remains in many buildings and sadly we still see families losing loved ones decades after exposure.”