PPE Claims – Get Compensation For Missing Or Inadequate PPE

By Ian Morris | Updated June 22nd, 2023

71 questions have been answered on this subject, why not ask your own?

You can claim compensation if you have been injured due to missing or inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), if it can be proven that those responsible for your safety failed to comply with their statutory duties. In this article we look at how to make a successful PPE injury claim.

When can you claim for an injury caused by missing or inadequate PPE?
The benefits of claiming compensation
How Direct2Compensation can help
Comments – your questions answered

When can you claim for an injury caused by missing or inadequate PPE?

In the majority of cases, inadequate protective equipment claims will relate to an injury suffered at work. In such cases, a claim will succeed if employer negligence can be proved. This would include a lack of enforcement, or provision of protective equipment, or allowing use of the wrong equipment. It could be that an employer has failed to provide gloves, hard hats or re-enforced footwear, for example. All workers, whether temporary or permanent, have the same right to a safe working environment and legal entitlements following an injury at work.

Employers must ensure:

That staff are provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) or made aware they need to provide their own PPE.
That any protective equipment provided is of sound working order and fit for purpose, by way of regular servicing and repair of the same.
That any tools or machinery that are faulty are removed from use and only returned to active service once fully repaired.

Commonly associated with inadequate protective equipment are crushing injuries, lacerations and burns. In more severe claims we see permanent consequences from the injuries, such as limited mobility, scarring and psychological trauma. Common scenarios of inadequate protective equipment claims include:

Workers suffering head injuries due to a lack of hard hat provision
Lacerations to the hands and fingers because of a lack of gloves
Crushing injuries to the feet and toes due to a lack of protective footwear
Chemical burn injuries
Respiratory damage or skin irritations such as industrial dermatitis through a lack of protective equipment for the safe handling of dangerous chemicals

The benefits of claiming PPE compensation

If you have been injured as a result of inadequate protective equipment, claiming personal injury compensation can help ease some of the problems you’ll experience and help in a number of ways:

It’s your legal right, and if successful will fairly compensate you for injuries that were not your fault.
A successful claim could fund private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery.
It can help you recover any lost income now and in the future if you are prevented from working again.
In the case of a fatal accident, loved ones can claim compensation for their loss.

As all claims are made on a No Win No Fee basis, you will never be charged if your claim does not succeed. A successful claim will lead to a compensation settlement being made to you, with the value of the claim including any lost income and incurred costs as well as a settlement for the injuries and medical treatment that you have sustained.

How Direct2Compensation can help with your PPE claim

As with all work accident claims, it is important to make sure that the details of your accident have been recorded properly within an accident book, and that medical attention is sought for any injuries that you have sustained. If you haven’t done this already, we can help you to do so.

At Direct2Compensation we can evaluate whether you were injured because of inadequate protective equipment. We know your rights, and can help you to understand whether the specifics of your accident mean you can successfully claim injury compensation.

Direct2Compensation work with some of the best expert injury compensation solicitors in the UK. With our easy to understand claims process and ability to handle your claim quickly, simply and transparently, there are many reasons that make us the right choice when it comes to starting your claim.

To find out a little bit more about the claims process and how we can help, start your claim online or , and one of our expert team will be in touch to offer help. Alternatively, call us on 01225 430285.

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Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus missing ppe claim examples...

I had wrong ppe at work, after using it I was coughing up blue paint, my chest always hurts, was going on for months. I have a video of it as well. I can’t see a doctor at the moment and I’m not getting paid. Another job I had as a bin man 12 years my knees playing up more, I got bone problem called osgood scatterice worse now.

Employers are held to a strict liability to ensure that employees are provided with the correct PPE to minimise the risk of injury or illness. In this case, it is important therefore that you make some sort of written report to the employer regarding your health issue and the inadequate PPE. Of course, you should attempt to get medical attention at the earliest opportunity too – both for your own well-being, but also to support any claim in due course.

Our specialist Solicitors can pursue a claim for you on a No Win No Fee basis on the grounds of employer negligence. Please contact us on 01225430285 or use our website to start your claim.

Slipped with a tool while doing a job at work, suffered quite a nasty gash on my arm,all the ppe and sop was changed as soon as this happened(when I was outside in the ambulance so I’ve heard) lost quite a bit of feeling in my arm where I was injured and now thinking about some compensation,this happened roughly 3mths ago and I’m hearing rumours about how it was my fault and I won’t get a penny in compensation

Our specialist Solicitors can consider the level of PPE you were provided with at the time of your injury, the training that you had received and whether it was adequate and whether your employer had been negligent. Given the loss of sensation in your arm around the area of the injury, you have every right to make a claim for personal injury compensation and our Solicitors would certainly be very happy to advise you on this matter.

I had an injury at work on Monday. A knife went straight through my wrist to the bone, cut my nerves, cut all the muscle round my hand. I had a operation Thursday as a result surgeon said I will loose 20 percent of feeling in that hand. When I was sat on chair waiting for ambulance manager walked past and said I’ve got wrong gloves on. I was not told by any managers you need different gloves. Only been on this machine few times and have always had same gloves on.

The fact that your employer seems to have failed to ensure that you were provided with the correct safety gloves or given the appropriate training indicates that you have valid grounds to pursue a claim on the basis of employer negligence. Please call us on 01225430285 or use the ‘start your claim‘ page of our website to make further contact with us.

I’m a self employed sub contractor valeter for ford and I pay money out of wages for chemicals protective gear clothing, etc. and haven’t been given gloves for past 2 years, and now my hands are destroyed from chemicals. Can I get any sort of compensation?

You may well have a valid claim and we’d like to help you to seek compensation for the chemical burn injuries you have sustained to your hands.

Hi I was 3 hours into my first shift at my new job labourer in an engineering firm. I was cleaning out the bottom of a machine when I sliced my finger almost down to the bone I needed 4 stitches and although they provided me a pair of gloves they clearly wasn’t rip proof like they should be because It cut straight through. I then returned from hospital the same day and finished my shift and had not time to recover.

Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can help you to claim compensation after your accident at work. Although this was your first shift, the employer should have provided the correct training and appropriate PPE to prevent you from sustaining such an injury.

I am an NHS worker and was made to wear out of date PPE which I have photographic evidence of.

During the past year we have been forced to wear masks for up to 13 hours even if we have underlying conditions such as asthma.

During the past year my health as deteriorated and I have now been diagnosed with a long term lung condition (Bronchiectasis and induced laryngeal obstruction).

My stats levels dropped to 85 and after an emergency chest CT it showed scaring on the lungs, at the age of 33 I can no longer walk long distances or have a normal life.

No one would listen to me when I raised concerns of prolonged Mask wearing or the date issue, it wasn’t until I received my diagnoses that People tried to help by which point it was to late.

Do I have a case here as this is a subject that people seem to want to avoid.

I wouldn’t say people want to avoid this subject, it is just that it is extremely difficult to establish negligence and a causal link between the PPE you had and the health condition you developed. With this in mind, it is likely to be too risky for a Solicitor to be able to offer to help you with this on a No Win No Fee basis.

Given the rapid growth of the pandemic and sudden onset of the same, employers would not be expected to have been able to prepare fully or even obtain sufficient new PPE and the courts are likely to be sympathetic to employers in such circumstances. Further, although most right minded people would concur that there is a very strong likelihood that your health condition was developed at work, establishing a legal link between your work, the PPE and your health condition is far from certain.

I fell while working outside for work. I am provided work boots but they are unsuitable for the weather conditions so majority of team wear footwear of our own selection, including manager who verbally approved this.
My fall was not due to footwear but the conditions on site. Wet, muddy weather and wooden edging on paths which led me to slip.
If I claimed to pay for physio (shoulder, knee and back) would I be blamed for footwear?

In some circumstances a claimant may be forced to accept an element of ‘contributory negligence’. This is where a defendant admits that they have been negligent and caused or partially caused an injury, but the claimant could have done more to prevent an injury too. In this case, that is a possibility, but it should not stop you from pursuing a claim for compensation.

Sorry should stop me or shouldn’t?

It should not stop you from taking action.

Following a specialist medical expert appointment, a Solicitor will usually receive the experts report and prognosis of injury within 10 – 15 days.

Hi, i work in a skip yard/waste transfer station.
A customer was in the yard tipping his rubbish in a mini hydraulic tipping truck, some of the load was still stuck in, some wood an glass, anyway i pulled the glass out and i didn’t realise for a min or two but it not cut but sliced/skinned some skin of my knuckle, i had to go to hospital an this is currently my forth day of work as i cant use my hand, i rang a few days ago they said they would ring back, heard nothing.
Is this worthy of a small claim? Is it my employers fault? Never had manual handling training, and the gloves were just cotton/rubber ones, it sliced straight through my glove.
Thanks in advance.

The injury you have suffered at work as a result of inadequate training and personal protective equipment indicates that you have valid grounds to pursue a claim for compensation. Our specialist Solicitors can recover compensation for the injury and scarring as well as recovering any loss of income or other costs you may incur as a result of this accident.

I wasn’t provided with protective ear defenders, even though I had asked for them as my other team members had been given them. I was strimming for 5 days in a row 9-6 with a 45 min lunch break and ended up having to seek medical advise from my local hospital who diagnosed with me with a ruptured ear drum and advised that my other ear had possibly been damaged and could also rupture. I gave the paperwork into work, on this it stated that I could not continue to strim unless I was provided with ear protection. I was told to strim again and still not offered ear protective so did not do it. Nothing was mentioned about me not having been offered ear protection yet again. I am currently doing something else but could face being in this position again, what can I do pls?

You have a valid right to make a claim against your employer for the damage caused to your ear. The employers failure to provide you with the correct PPE is negligence and should see you succeed with a claim against them.

I am currently working on a temporary contract for Tesco. I was not provided with any PPE or full training. On Friday the 24th of April 2020 I was beginning my night shift when a cage with a broken wheel crushed my toe. I reported the incident to a manager and he filled an accident report I was then sent home. I had 4 days off but felt I needed to go back to work as I wasn’t getting paid! Company policy apparently?

I had to sign a return to work form but was not asked if my foot was any better. It wasn’t in fact it’s still very painful and hard to walk on! My first night return still with my injury I was placed on the beer and alcohol aisle where I was expected to stand on a stool to reach crates of beer and wine bottles from a height and place them on the floor earring in mind I couldn’t balance on my right leg due to my foot and the pain. Can you help?

Please call us on 01225430285. You have a right to make a claim as it was caused by a broken cage wheel, which is likely to be established as negligence against the employer. Further, there is also a potential 2nd area of negligence in their failure to provide you with PPE or full training.

Despite the fact that you are on a temporary contract, you are afforded the same protection under the health and safety at work act and safe working regulations as a full-time permanent employee, so you are entitled to pursue a claim for compensation for the injury to your foot and for any lost income or other costs.

Both of my ears were infected (June 2018) and ear drums damaged due to an infection caused when I had inspecting a waste management facility (on behalf of my employers). I was sent there without adequate ear protection. I had a surgery last year to patch one ear drum to stop continuous infection and I am now expecting similar one for the other ear in coming months. This also had been reduced my hearing levels on both ears.

Do you think I have a case?

Employers have a duty of care to ensure that they correctly assess the risks to health of any worker acting for them in the work that they task them with doing. In this case, the employer would appear to have failed to minimise the risk of injury to you through their failure to provide you with the correct PPE equipment.

We therefore feel that your situation is one that could well lead to a valid claim against the employer and that this matter should be considered in more detail by our specialist Solicitors.

Last year i walked into work , a light shop, and my boss was tearing down mouldy damp plaster walks. It triggered a mould and dust allergy , i had an asthma attack, went to hospital was off for weeks coughing up black stuff and on inhalers. I was outraged as he should have warned ne and provided masks if anyone was there. So a few weeks back there was a fire in the flat above our shop, the whole place needs renovating he promised me i wouldn’t be there during construction. Professionals were doing it but he walks in last tuesday and starts doing unsafe work alone, begins sawing without warning, i inhale dust, take an asthma attack and been coughing so much i have cracked a rib and he is telling me i cant take holidays while he works. I said i will get a sick line then and he is saying it’s an old building maybe i should consider a new job. I said the building’s age and condition is irrelevant it’s the health and safety while work is under way. Do i legally have to be in a building site with no masks, ventilation, ear defenders or risk assessment when i am a sales assistant and insurance will be paying loses anyway?

This is a matter that would warrant further investigation and consideration by our specialist Solicitors. Your employer should ensure safety to all staff and visitors during any building or renovation work and it would seem that they have failed to provide warning or relevant safety equipment.

I work outside and we have been issued with clothing that is inadequate for the weather. I complained and nothing has changed. I recently got a viral infection a which spread to chest infection and I’m been disciplined for absence, can i sue my employer for injury to my health for lack of correct clothing?

Notwithstanding the ill health you have suffered, it is likely to be very hard to pursue a claim against your employer on a personal injury basis for the scenario you describe. There is likely to be an issue of establishing a causal link between the clothing and the illness.

I work as a train maintenance for a cleaning company. Was entering a train to do my work when I tripped and fell hitting the left side of my face and bruises on my knee. I have been off work since June, only on ssp. Waiting for mri scan in December. Symptoms of pain dizziness and concussion continues to this day. The work shoe I had on was defective and had reported the defect previously and coincidentally on the very day of the accident. The manager did not reply to my request for new foot wear until several weeks later and he stated he will provide a new footwear at my terminal. To this day he has not done so to the best of my knowledge.

As you had already reported a fault with your footwear, the employer may well be liable in this matter. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can talk further with you regarding your accident and a possible claim for personal injury compensation. Our initial view is that you have a valid claim and we would be happy to investigate this further for you.

I started work at new work place that builds powder coat ovens, it was like working in the 80’s no Ppe was given or training etc, job included using rock wool insulation building panels, answered using power coating machine/oven, not at any point was I offered training or a mask etc, now i’ve been off ill with chest infection/pleurisy, pressured to go back to work or I have no job. Then took a turn at work, struggled to breathe. I went to go told to rest and recover and in this time was let go. Do I have a case as I think the environment contributed to my illness which left me with no job?

To make a claim for ill health caused as a result of the negligence of an employer, an employee must demonstrate a causal link between their workplace and the health condition or injury that they have sustained.

In your case, much would depend on the length of time that you had been working at the workplace without the PPE, your previous health and what your medical records state on that issue.

After I told my manager I was having headaches from the spray cans we use to paint the wheels he’s been giving me a hard time. Last friday I was breaking down some boxes, i’m bent forward, he comes from behind with the cherry picker and kicks the boxes and they hit my back. I turn around, he stares at me, turns around and leaves. I ask him for a mask to paint he said we don’t have any. I told him a month ago and he said they will get here in a couple of days, now he says they haven’t arrived, they want me to quit.

You should put the issues you have described here to your employer in writing. As you use spray paints, the employer has an obligation to ensure that you are provided with respiratory protection and that the workplace is well ventilated.

My employer did not gave me the PPE and I was working as a cleaner on heights with some dangerous chemicals and I ended up hospitalised affected by inhaling the smell of the chemical. I worked 3 months without any PPE for the heights including the fall arrest system, safety boots or even a hard hat or even uniform. I was working under a very cold roof in the cold storage food plant for 8 months without the freezer jackets, will I get compensated or not?

Was your accident at work recorded in an accident book or reported to any other Health and Safety bodies? The story you have provided indicates an employer who is negligent towards the Health and Safety of employees and as such, you would appear to have the right to make a claim for compensation.

Hi, I was injured at work recently and ended up with a broken toe. I have been encouraged to seek a claim but i didn’t wear my steel toe capped boots as they’re really uncomfortable.
Do I have a case at all? The cage which run over my foot was being pushed by a delivery driver as I was pulling it along, I had no idea he was there and thought I had sole control of the cage. As I attempted to negotiate a turn it carried on at full speed and ran over my foot.

Does your employer inform you and require that you wear steel-toe capped shoes? If so, as you have chosen not to wear them, you would have to accept some contributory negligence if you were to claim. If the employer has not provided such footwear and does not mandate that you wear them, you should pursue a foot injury claim and be able to hold the employer 100% liable.

I had an accident whereby I fell from an LGV onto my back. I was off work for about 6 weeks. I was paid and to a certain extent it was my fault because of the incorrect footwear I had on.

Is there grounds for a claim?

Potentially there is a valid claim, but we really need to know more about the accident to be able to advise you properly. You mention wearing incorrect footwear. Whilst this could force you to have to accept a level of contributory negligence, your employer could still face some liability if they have not enforced the wearing of prescribed footwear and bear some responsibility for the fact that you fell from the wagon.

Thanks for your answer. With regards to contributory negligence I understand but I think I add to the problem because I was the manager of the department at the time. So in terms of whether I policed the footwear…….I didn’t! I no longer work there and felt in hindsight I was in pain and discomfort and this might have some bearing on whether I should proceed. My only out of pocket expence was about £30 for a 6 month prepaid prescription card. I’m not sure I have a case. But thank you for your time. BTW the company was ASDA, in case you were curious. Thanks again.

I was working casual work, cash in hand. The vehicle tail lift isn’t 100% working correctly and I was sent down to load a van without the correct PPE and as I was fixing one of the flaps on the tail lift, it fell on my foot. I needed hospital treatment and now the owner of company says he doesn’t pay people who have been injured at work. I had 3 weeks of lost earnings at my own work and now I won’t receive a penny.

Can you tell me the way forward?

Whether you were doing casual work or working on a more official basis, the same health and safety laws apply to all employees. In this case, as long as you can prove that you were injured whilst working for this employer (accident book entry or other evidence), you can pursue a claim against them for compensation for the foot injury as well as to recover any lost income.

I worked in an Air freshener factory about 25 years ago. Since then I have had asthma and sore eyes. We wasn’t given any kind of ppe. Is it to late to make a claim?

If your symptoms developed more than 3 years ago, you would be out of limitation and unable to do anything.

Hi, i cut my wrist with glass at work. i didn’t have safety cuffs around my wrist, i have been at home for 10 months had 3 operations. what can i claim and when do i claim?

Under UK law, any personal injury claim must be made within 3 years of the date of the accident. Therefore, if you were injured at work 10 months ago, you have a further 26 months in which you can pursue your claim for accident at work compensation.

I was told I had to wear my hard hat on a flooring job and it impaired my vision when walking and looking down, throwing the rubber base around the perimeter and hit a metal shelf it jammed my neck. I have four herniated disc‘s and bone fragments in my neck. I have told them my supervisor and owner of the company about injury the day it happened. I never went to the doctor, a month later I got numbness in my right hand lasted about for five months it went away in about two years. Later that the pain was so bad going down my shoulders I couldn’t work and I got some MRIs done and I looked up the hardhat rules and it says as long as there’s no impaired danger there is no need for a hardhat and nobody was working above me so I was just wondering what are my rights?

You need to find out why the employer required you to wear a hard hat. I would expect that a risk assessment had been carried out in advance and that the hard hat was recommended as a requirement.

Clearly, you have suffered a serious injury and as such, investigating a possible claim further is both sensible and reasonable.

I started at a factory a few weeks ago. They didn’t have gloves small enough for me, so they gave me the smallest they had. Then my glove got pulled into the machine, fracturing my fingertip and requiring 8 stitches. But I’m new here, on probation/temp until August. I don’t want to lose my job. What do I do?

Whether or not you are new to the job and on probation, you are afforded the same health and safety rights as any other worker. If your employer has put you at risk of injury by failing to provide you with the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) as would appear to be the case here with regards to you being given gloves that were not the correct size for you, you have the right to make a claim for compensation.

You should definitely make sure that the details of your accident are recorded within your employers accident book so that there is a record of the accident and relevant evidence to support your claim – should you make one in the future.

Given your concerns about your temporary position until August, you could always speak to us so that we can make a record of the claim details and at least let you speak with a qualified specialist personal injury Solicitor. If they were to then wish to pursue your claim, you could request that the claim was set aside until your probationary period had expired. Remember, no Solicitor could start action on your claim without your signed instructions and authority to do so.

You’ve had a nasty injury that will leave a scar and probably affect your dexterity and grip strength. Therefore, claiming compensation for this would be fair and reasonable.

Started a new job everything was great until they started to move old machines in then the air was filled with an oily mist. On some days it was really bad in there and we also had loads of welding smoke in the air too. The sumps at the back of the machines were filled with a type of oil which was floating on top of the coolant.

I fell ill with chest infection 3 times in 3 months and the last one put me in hospital (I was in bed for 6 weeks and away from work for 3 months off). When I returned to work the employer had erected 4 cameras to monitor workers – 3 of which appear to be focused on me and my work station. I don’t know where I stand.

The cameras monitoring your work area and the work undertaken by you and your colleagues is somewhat of a red herring as it would have no bearing on any possible claim you were to make for compensation.

In your case, your employer has a duty of care to ensure that the health and safety of you and your colleagues is protected so far as possible. This would include minimising exposure to noxious gasses or fumes. Therefore, the employer should have ensured that all workers and visitors had protective masks and that sufficient and correct ventilation equipment was provided. If they have failed to do this, it could well give rise to a claim for personal injury compensation.

I was injured at work because they didn’t gave me safety boots.

If an employer fails to provide a worker with the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), or fails to ensure that such protective equipment is worn by all people on site, they are guilty of employer negligence if there is then an accident and injuries are sustained. In such cases, the employer would most likely lose should anyone then pursue a claim for accident at work compensation.

i have been told by the HSE that i have been using lead paint for 3 years with not the right breathing mask or correct ventilation my employee was issued with 3 prohibition notices but still use lead paint, the HSE advised me to see my GP to check skin inhalation and my breathing, he bullies me and the other staff, my dad informed the HSE as he was worried about my health.

Your employer has clearly been guilty of negligence here and is playing a dangerous game with your well-being and health. Have you now seen your GP regarding the issue? Get in touch with us if you’d like some advice as to your rights here and whether you can claim compensation.

I am going to book with my gp as it has taken 6 weeks for my employer to act on this. He has now changed the paint to lead free. Do i still have a claim.

Adam

You are doing the right thing in terms of seeing your GP. Make sure you inform the GP in full as to what has happened and what materials your employer has been getting you to work with.

I would suggest that when you have seen your GP and been given advice as to what, if any, health problems the lead paint etc has caused, that you return to me. We can then investigate further with regards to a claim for compensation for you.

So if theres no damage caused to my health then theres no claim? I feel the 3 years he has neglected my health is worth something. I am not a sprayer by trade i was put on the job and left on it as i was good from the off. So had no clue as to what paints etc i was using i just did as i was instructed.

Adam

You may well have a viable claim, but it is impossible to advise on the prospects without knowing what injuries/health problems you have suffered as a result.

The most likely damage/injury risk to you from using lead paint without the correct breathing apparatus will be respiratory diseases, but there is also a risk of more sinister illnesses such as cancers too. With this in mind, there is reasonable likelihood that you will be suffering from stress and anxiety of the worry of what potential injury or illness could materialise in the future. You should discuss any relevant aspect of psychological injury with your GP as they may be willing to provide assistance to you with this regard. Remember, you can claim compensation for psychological injuries as well as physical injury.

If there is no injury confirmed by a Doctor, it is unlikely that you will be able to pursue a claim against the employer. In that case, there is no damage or loss to claim against them for. Although they have placed you at risk and acted negligently, there is no avenue for compensation for such a situation. If you are not injured, but the employer has flouted Health & Safety law, you should report them to the Health and Safety Executive and they can face punishment or censure from them.

However, with the risk of an illness developing in the future as a result of your exposure to harmful substances like lead paints, it is worth remembering that you can still pursue a claim in the future. The claim limitation period rules that give you 3-years in which you can pursue a claim for compensation starts on the date of an accident, or in your case, on the date of diagnosis of an industrial injury/illness.

Please contact me when you have spoken to your GP and I’ll be able to offer you more precise advice.

I sew at work, I got moved to a different area where work was harder on my hands. I complained about pain so they gave me a glove, complained again so I got two gloves. 3 weeks ago I had to put in an accident report cause i had pain in my hand and wrist that hurt to put more pressure on it. This is all after complaining several times to management, leads, and supervisor that I was in pain and having problems with this new work. Today hurt my same hand and decided to go to the doctor. The manager filling out my paperwork gave me grief, let me know my hour pay would be cut down if I got light duty and acted as if I faked the whole thing. Doctor gave me 3 days of light duty, prescription and said I needed to wear a brace and especially wear for sleeping. I’m doing so much suffering from this when I have tried informing so many times of pain and problems, now will lose salary and have pain in my hand, anything I can do?

Hi, I am sorry to hear that your work is causing you pain, discomfort and an injury that has lead you to needing to see your GP. It is good that you have reported these problems to your employer and helpful that an accident report has been made as this could help in any future claim should one proceed.

Whether or not you can claim compensation will depend on varying factors, such as the nature of the job and the training (or lack of) provided by your employer. I would very much like to speak with you to discuss this as a few minutes on the phone with you will enable us to properly assess your claim prospects.

I have been working on site sanding lead paint off windows with no extraction, little ventilation, no over clothes and have had to buy a more suitable dust mask than my employer provides. Due to this I now have lead poisoning and my levels are close to being suspended from work.

It could well be that tour employer has breached their health and safety responsibilities in this case and exposed you to a hazard that was avoidable.

We’d like to put your claim to our specialist Solicitors and let them investigate this for you. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can discuss this with you in greater detail.

I started noticing a heavy smell of paint in my work station, asked my team leader for a mask to reduce the fumes i was inhaling he gave me a look as if i was crazy and said ok. Then 20 minutes goes by, no mask, yet here he is talking with someone down the line laughing with this person both staring at me. Then 15 more minutes went by i tilted my head up to look at a scan in light and blacked out, came to and my knees were cut open. I stood up and headed for the door for fresh air, i get screamed at what are you doing then i responded with ‘i quit’. Do i have a case or this is all my fault?

If I understand your comment correctly, you quit your job and walked away as a result of this incident and the employers lack of assistance to you. If this is the case, it will not have any relevance to the outcome of a claim for personal injury compensation if you chose to pursue one. Indeed, the only small issue would be that you would not be able to claim any loss of income relating to this accident/incident as you terminated your employment rather than being unable to work due to ill health.

On the basis of your comment, I would be of the view that you have a claim worthy of further pursuit as there is definitely an argument to be made relating to employer negligence here. When working with substances hazardous to health, employers must ensure that all workers are provided with the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). In such cases, it is important that the employer follow (and makes sure all staff are aware of and understand) regulations in terms of control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH). In your case, this would relate to the possible effects of inhaling noxious chemical fumes from the paint that you were working with. I assume that you work in a paint shop environment, perhaps as a sprayer? Or in a workplace with such a function being performed. In such a working environment, there should be industrial strength extractor fans and all staff should be wearing protective masks that filter out hazardous chemicals. If your employer fails to provide such a requirement, they are likely to be in breach of health and safety at work regulations. If this is the case, they are therefore likely to be forced to admit liability if any claim for compensation is made as a result of an injury caused in the workplace due to such breaches.

I hope that this information is of help to you. Please feel free to contact me by email should you have any further queries or if you wish us to help you pursue a claim for compensation against your employer. Alternatively, you can call us on 01225430285.

Yes they perform painting duties inside the factory every so often. They don’t have a single air vent to vent out any fumes so when they paint the fumes build up with no possible way for the fumes to escape. I asked for a protective mask and he ignored my well-being after i stated can you get me a mask these paint fumes are starting to get to me.

I felt really unsafe and wanted outside for air, i don’t believe i was in a full state of mind when i said i quit because i have been inhaling paint fumes for 40 minutes but it was my response. I know i shouldn’t have but i wasn’t fully coherent and made a bad decision not being in the state of mind i was in. I reported everything to unemployment insurance about the reason why i quit, told them i have pictures of my injuries apparently their investigating but i know nothing will be done and i’ll be denied. I never received a call from the company the following day to discuss this matter like any other company would of done.

I recently had an accident at work. I am a police officer and was chasing a burglar when I slipped on mud. As I am a dog handler, I was trying to control the dog with one hand and holding a torch in the other. The dog pulled me as I tried to correct the fall and caused me to rupture my quad resulting in an operation and 6 months off work. I had to cancel two ski holidays and have had my pay docked as I was not able to look after the dogs during my sick leave. After the accident my employer has issued head torches as this was thought to be a contributing factor. Do I have a claim?

In all honesty, I am not sure as to whether or not you will be able to succeed with a claim, but I feel that the actions of your employer in terms of providing head torches to try and prevent a repeat of this incident gives you some grounds to warrant pursuit of compensation. It is clear that the employer has realised that asking you to hold a torch in one hand whilst controlling your police dog in the other presents a greater risk to your safety than having a head mounted torch and a free hand for balance and grip. This could give you grounds for success.

I think the best course of action would be to contact us so that we can take some further details and then get one of our specialist solicitors to discuss this with you.

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