The family of a former production manager who spent more than 30 years working at the Quaker Oats factory in Southall, has instructed specialist lawyers to investigate whether his employment with Quaker Oats Limited contributed to his death from an asbestos-related cancer.
Allan Davies, from Uxbridge, died on 27 May 2024 aged 70, four weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that he had mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive disease most commonly linked to exposure to asbestos, often decades before symptoms emerge.
An inquest concluded that Davies died as a result of an industrial disease. His family has since asked the law firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate where and how any asbestos exposure may have occurred during his working life.
Mr Davies worked at the Quaker Oats factory in Southall between 1976 and 2008. The site produced a range of products over that period, including Quaker Oats porridge, Sugar Puffs cereal and Felix pet food. According to his family, he began his career on the production line, maintaining and repairing machinery, before progressing into management.
In the 1990s, Mr Davies was promoted into a supervisory role and introduced a planned preventative maintenance programme, his family said. This required him to enter the boiler room whenever there was an issue and ensure repairs were carried out. Older boiler systems and surrounding infrastructure in industrial buildings have historically contained asbestos.
Irwin Mitchell said it was seeking information from anyone who worked at the Southall site during the period Davies was employed. Emma Guy, the solicitor representing the family, said: “The UK has one of the highest rates of asbestos-related deaths in the world, and mesothelioma claims the lives of thousands of people here every year. Allan’s death isn’t a statistic but a stark reminder of the human cost of asbestos and how families continue to be turned upside down by exposure to the hazardous material.”
Ms Guy added: “While the inquest has provided his loved ones with some answers, they still have concerns regarding where he was exposed to the asbestos that claimed his life. If anyone remembers working with Allan, or was employed at the same company, coming forward could mean so much to his family and may prove vital to our investigation.”
Davies married his wife, Valerie, in 1971 and the couple had three children and five grandchildren. Valerie Davies said: “Watching someone you love slip away in such a cruel way was devastating. The weeks before his death were the worst four weeks of our lives.”
Irwin Mitchell can be contacted with any information by calling 0207 421 3931 or e-mail emma.guy@irwinmitchell.com
EALING.NEWS reached out to Quaker Oats Limited for a comment.
