All employees have the right to go to work and not be worried that their working environment may be unsafe or that they could be being exposed to harmful substances in their workplace. Some employers provide poor working conditions which may result in employees contracting an Industrial Disease.
Common types of Industrial Diseases are:-
Vibration White Finger (more commonly known as VWF) which can be caused by exposure to excessive levels of vibration. Symptoms can include whitening of the tips of the fingers, moving down the fingers towards the palm of the hand, tingling, numbness and/or significant loss of grip in the hands/fingers.
Industrial Deafness/Noise Induced Hearing Loss which can be caused by exposure to excessive levels of noise. Some people may also suffer from Tinnitus which may be a ringing or buzzing noise in the ears which can also be caused by excessive exposure to loud noise.
Dermatitis. This can be caused from exposure to irritants at work such as chemicals and can cause skin irritation, rashes and blistering.
Asthma or other respiratory conditions which may be caused by exposure to chemicals or certain types of dust at work.
Repetitive Strain Injuries/Work Related Upper Limb Injuries such as tendonitis, tennis elbow or back problems resulting from excessive lifting or repetitive pulling or twisting motions in the workplace. Employers should reduce the risk of employees sustaining these types of injuries by reducing the risks in the workplace to levels that are as reasonably practicable as possible. They should implement lifting equipment wherever possible for heavy lifting tasks and ensure that adequate job rotation is in place for repetitive tasks, in addition to implementing regular breaks.
If you suffered for any of the above injuries at work within the last 3 years then please contact Sarah Tagg on 0114 2766166
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