All of Albright and Wilson’s manufacture sites had accidents and poor health and safety, bar none. I have detailed the catalogue of issues at Trinity Street, where phosphorus and chlorine were by far the biggest dangers to workers and the public. An incident where several workers were gassed by Cl2 occurred in 1974 , but I have found another at one of the dirty buggers lesser known sites in London called “Canning Road”.
Situated in the East End of London in Stratford, not the better known Midlands beauty spot of Shakespeare by the Avon, I have little information on this place as it occupies a very brief mention in both of the AW propaganda books about the company. The Hugh Podger book reveals that it was to close in 1984 “because of adverse trading conditions and declining sales.”
It further however states that this was the site which produced phosphorus acid, where AW were the largest producers in the world. This may be a boast, but it is clear that they were potentially also the biggest cancer manufacturers on the planet with this ghastly substance being used in Monsantos round up.
This process site eventually closed and the lucky people of Oldbury got it instead. FFS! 😥
I digress however as this toxic archive shows that chlorine was handled irresponsibly at this site and from the Daily Mirror of 11th August 1967 we find out more.
Sixteen workers required hospital treatment, with a further seventeen affected after a leaking cylinder exposed them to the toxic chemical. We see that it was the fire service who were called again to deal with the incident. In peacetime, there is no doubt that this company posed more of a risk than the Germans did in war to the civilian population with chemical weapons. Germany never used used them.
The “babbles” that Albright and Wilson blew were never a “pretty babbles in the air.” 😆 😆 😆