Common workplace diseases
Employers have a legal obligation to make sure workplaces comply with health and safety regulations nowadays. These regulations cover things such as equipment standards but also make sure that workers aren’t at risk from anything which can cause illness. Workplace claims related to illnesses are increasing and there are a number of different illnesses which employees are at risk from in certain environments.
Firstly and possibly the most common type of disease which originates in the workplace is lung disease or asbestosis as a result of asbestos. The risks which asbestos posed were not known for a number of years and in a lot of cases the damage was already done. Asbestos dust causes the lungs to breakdown which in some cases can mean the disease becomes fatal.
Another common disease caused by work is vibration white finger or VWF. VWF occurs as a result of prolonged and or repeated use of tools which relay vibrations into a person’s fingers and hands. The constant vibrations affect blood circulation in the fingers on a long term basis and can cause spasms in the fingers as well as a colour change which is set off by different triggers such as temperature or sometimes even completely randomly.
Skin diseases occur to workers in a number of jobs as a result of different chemicals which they have to work with. Mechanics, hairdressers, hosiery workers and florists all work with certain chemicals and cleaning agents which if not used correctly can cause long term irritation and skin disease such as eczema. Most of these chemicals have warnings about the risks of using them and how to correctly handle them but these are sometimes overlooked.
People often overlook or aren’t aware of diseases which come as a result of the working environment. In the health industry or the care industry there is also a risk from severe diseases such as HIV, AIDS and also Hepatitis A, B and C. Although contraction of these diseases is rare, it does sometimes happen when professionals use syringes on patients and accidentally make contact with grazes or scratches on their own body.
Speak to an experienced specialist about claiming compensation for an industrial illness.