Industrial Disease

Particular working environments may have a physical impact on employees and some may suffer disease as a result. The physical injury may not be evident immediately and symptoms often develop over a long period of time. However, it is usually the case that the employee was not aware of the cause of the symptoms until some time later.

The general rule of thumb is that a claim for compensation for occupational disease must be issued within three years from the date of “knowledge” of the onset of symptoms and that the injury may have been caused by the workplace.

It is illegal for your employer to terminate your employment if you make a claim for compensation. If you are concerned about this, please contact our employment division.

Beat knee

Bursitis (or beat knee) has long been considered an occupational hazard for miners. There are other similar occupational knee injuries including menisci cartilage damage and osteoarthritis. These conditions are often types of repetitive strain injury which arise when bones, muscles, cartilage joints or tendons are subjected to repetitive movements, usually under physical pressure, without adequate rest periods. In this case it is advisable to seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891.

You can also fill in our questionnaire by clicking here. Please complete as fully as you can and send to us; the information you share will help us to help you more quickly.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

COPD is the overall term used to describe a variety of illnesses, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. People with COPD have permanently damaged lungs and find it difficult to breathe most of the time. Employers must assess the exposure (exposure means taking in chemicals by breathing in, by skin contact or by swallowing) and the risk that this exposure would cause undue health effects.In this case it is advisable to seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891.

You can also fill in our questionnaire by clicking here. Please complete as fully as you can and send to us; the information you share will help us to help you more quickly.

Industrial Deafness

Your employer has a duty to minimise noise in the workplace, preventing the high exposure levels proven to be a potential cause of industrial deafness. Employers have a statutory duty outlining what acceptable levels of noise are, how employers should ensure that noise levels are minimised and that suitable protective equipment is provided.  Any employee who is exposed to loud noise over a prolonged period, or in exceptional cases even for a relatively short period, is at risk of developing industrial deafness.In this case it is advisable to seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891.

You can also fill out our questionnaire by clicking here. Please complete as fully as you can and send to us; the information you share will help us to help you more quickly.

Asbestosis & Mesothelioma

Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos, e.g. in mining, and is therefore regarded as an occupational lung disease. Sufferers have severe shortness of breath and are at an increased risk regarding several different types of lung cancer.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.  Most people who develop the disease have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, but symptoms may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure.

In addition, there are other conditions, which may have been caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace, to include pleural thickening, lung cancer, pulmonary firbosis and pleural plaques. To seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891

Hand-arm vibration syndrome

Vibration White Finger (VWF) is a secondary form of Raynaud's disease, an industrial injury triggered by continuous use of vibrating hand-held machinery. Good practice in industrial health and safety management requires that worker vibration exposure is assessed in terms of acceleration amplitude and duration. Using a tool that vibrates slightly for a long time can be as damaging as using a heavily vibrating tool for a short time. To seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891.

You can also fill in our questionnaire by clicking here. Please complete as fully as you can and send to us; the information you share will help us to help you more quickly.

RSI

A repetitive strain injury (RSI), also called cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), occupational overuse syndrome, or work related upper limb disorder (WRULD), is any of a loose group of conditions resulting from overuse of a tool, eg. computer, knife, etc. or other activity that requires repeated movements. It is a syndrome that affects muscles, tendons and nerves in the hands, arms and upper back. It is most common among assembly line and computer workers.To seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891

Work related stress

Everyone is under some pressure in the workplace; some external pressures can be a positive factor, helping us to be more productive. However, excessive and prolonged stress can take its toll, producing a range of physical and emotional health problems. While stress can be triggered by sudden, unexpected pressures, it is often the result of a combination of stressful factors which accumulate over time. Most work-related stress is related to management of work, relationships at work, organisational set-up and whether you feel you have power and control in your work. In addition, stress can be caused by bullying and/or harassment in the workplace.To seek professional advice, please email us, or simply call 0870 4283891