Joseph Chumnery, an 83-year-old man who worked as a cleaner for the Post Office for over 30 years, has passed away due to exposure to asbestos. He was born in the West Indies in 1940 and moved to the UK at the age of 19. Mr. Chumnery died at Charing Cross Hospital in September of this year.
At an inquest at West London Coroner’s Court, Assistant Coroner Valerie Charbit confirmed that Mr. Chumnery’s cause of death was pneumonia, heart failure, and mesothelioma, a cancer commonly caused by asbestos exposure. During the inquest, parts of a statement made by Mr. Chumnery in 2017 were read out. He mentioned that as a cleaner at the Post Office, he would sweep up dust from ‘old and ragged’ pipes after maintenance work, which contained asbestos fibers from insulation around the pipes. He revealed that he never wore a mask and was never advised to do so.
The Paddington sorting office where Mr. Chumnery worked has since been demolished to make way for Paddington Square Shopping Centre. A doctor’s report from 2018 was also presented at the inquest, showing that Mr. Chumnery first visited his doctor in 2016 due to shortness of breath. After undergoing tests, he was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and started chemotherapy in 2017 at Guy’s Hospital. Despite being given a life expectancy of six months in 2018, he lived longer than expected and passed away on September 24, 2024.
Assistant Coroner Charbit concluded that Mr. Chumnery’s death was due to an “industrial disease” caused by his exposure to asbestos while working as a cleaner from 1973 to 2005. The Post Office mentioned that after separating from Royal Mail in 2012, Royal Mail is now responsible for sorting offices. A spokesperson from Royal Mail expressed their condolences for Mr. Chumnery’s passing but did not provide an official comment.
The tragic case of Joseph Chumnery serves as a reminder of the dangers of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Asbestos, once commonly used in buildings for insulation and construction, is now known to cause serious health issues, including mesothelioma. Employers and employees should take necessary precautions to protect themselves from exposure to asbestos fibers to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The story of Mr. Chumnery also sheds light on the importance of regular health check-ups and early detection of asbestos-related illnesses to ensure timely treatment and care for affected individuals.
