Occupational Asthma Claims

While it is possible to develop occupational asthma in any job, some occupations pose a higher risk, including:

• Woodworkers and carpenters: Inhaling sawdust and chemicals used to treat wood
• Bakers: Working with flour dust
• Farming and agriculture: Hay, soil and spores can all contribute to asthma
• Welder and soldering: Inhaling toxic fumes from welding equipment and gases
• Hairdressing and beauty salons: Some chemicals can be toxic and procedures like nail technicians can produce airborne dusts.

Our lawyers can help you determine if your work may have contributed to asthma.

Your employer has a duty of care to you and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that it must protect you from any health risks in the workplace. This includes protecting you from things that can cause asthma, such as:

• Dust, including sandblasting dust
• Welding fumes
• Gases
• Solvent vapours
• Flour
• Cleaning fluids
• Mists.

Preventative measures could be as simple as providing enough ventilation in the workplace or ensuring you can take regular breaks away from these substances. When working with more dangerous chemicals, respiratory protective equipment (RPE) that’s fit for purpose should be supplied.

Your employer should also tell you what the risks are, give you details on any exposure limits, such as how long you should be doing a certain kind of work, and train you in what to do in the event of an accident or emergency.

If you haven’t been provided with the right RPE or given enough training or information, your employer’s negligence could have put you at risk.

Yes, we have helped many people claim for work-related conditions over the decades.

One of our clients, Stewart, spent 26 years working at a local metalworking and grinding businesses. He worked exclusively on grinding machines to sharpen blades for use in different industries. When the machines are in operation, metalworking fluid can spray and become a mist in the air. These particular machines were old, and they weren’t fitted with guards. The fluid, when breathed in, caused long-term respiratory complications.

He started experiencing symptoms of breathlessness and, despite antibiotic treatments from his GP, he was signed off work. While he was off, his symptoms began to get better, leading him to the conclusion that the poor working conditions were the cause of his illness.

His doctor referred him to the Occupational Lung Disease Unit at the Birmingham Chest Clinic. Consultants at the clinic diagnosed him with occupational asthma and chronic rhinitis as a result of his exposure to the metalworking fluid.

Stewart contacted our occupational disease solicitors to see if we could help. We investigated his working conditions and collected evidence pointing to clear health and safety failings. With the support of our expert team, the settlement he received meant the financial stress that came with not working for two years was lifted and he was able to focus on his recovery and spend more time with his family. Find out more about his claim.