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Glassworker Died From Workplace Mold Exposure
5 Jun
Summary
- Worker died from lung condition due to workplace mold exposure.
- Factory owners admitted breaching duty of care, paid settlement.
- Family feels robbed of future due to preventable death.
Lee Walker, a 58-year-old former glassworks specialist, tragically died in 2025 from hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This life-limiting lung condition was caused by inhaling hazardous mold particles, specifically aspergillus, to which he was exposed at his workplace beginning in 2008. His health began to decline significantly in 2019, forcing his retirement.
Walker's employers, Beatson Clark, were found to have dangerously high levels of aspergillus in their water systems, which released into the air during his work. His family's lawyers stated he was not provided with a health risk assessment or personal protective equipment. In December 2024, the company admitted it breached its duty of care and paid the family a six-figure settlement.
Months after the settlement, Lee Walker passed away from a severe chest infection. His wife lamented the loss of their future together, emphasizing that his death from a job he loved was preventable and devastating. Legal representatives highlighted this as a stark example of the human cost of industrial diseases.
