Hazardous fumes are present in a variety of different industries and come in many different forms. The deadly carbon monoxide gas may be found in any environment where gas-powered appliances are present. Construction, building site workers and painters routinely prepare and handle toxic chemical mixtures in the course of their work. Paint fumes are highly toxic, and may affect both painters and those in their immediate surroundings. Certain workplaces face more specific threats from harmful agents. Airline pilots and cabin staff for example are often exposed to poisonous engine fumes and hydraulic fluid spread via the aircraft's cabin ventilation system. Welders regularly develop welder's siderosis (also known as welder's lung), a serious condition caused by the toxic fumes given off by welding rods. Every workplace and public premises (such as supermarkets, gyms and hairdressers) will use powerful bleach-based products as an essential part of their cleaning regime. Swimming pools rely on highly toxic chlorine for the sanitation of their water. The problem is striking the correct balance between the eradication of germs, and the amount of chemicals used to achieve it. It is also important that cleaning staff mix their solutions in the correct proportions and closely follow the safety warnings on products.

High street retailers and offering services must ensure that they have adequate ventilation installed on their premises to disperse fumes and maintain healthy air quality. This is especially important at hairdressing salons and laser clinics, where products and treatment procedures release toxic chemical fumes. In the workplace all possible steps should be taken to lower the risk of toxic fumes and smoke causing injuries to workers. This includes the provision of safety equipment such as goggles, masks and gloves by the employer. Management must also ensure they have a safe system of work in place, and that effective supervision of working practises in maintained. Employees should receive training in work involving contact with substances with the potential to release poisonous chemical fumes. Detailed requirements for employers and public premises regarding the handling, storage and use of dangerous chemicals are contained in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH).

For injuries involving breathing difficulties (short of disabling breathlessness) requiring fairly frequent use of an inhaler; where there is inability to tolerate a smoky environment and an uncertain prognosis but already significant effect on social and working life, compensation awards will range between £20,000 and £35,000. For bronchitis and wheezing not causing serious symptoms; little or no serious or permanent effect on working or social life; with varying levels of anxiety about the future, awards will be between £13,250 and £20,000. For injuries resulting in some slight breathlessness with no effect on working life and the likelihood of substantial and permanent recovery within a few years of the exposure to the cause or the aggravation of an existing condition, compensation awards will be £6,750 and £13,250. For less serious injuries, such as temporary aggravation of bronchitis or other chest problems resolving within a few months, compensation awards will be between £1,400 and £3,450.

Bartletts Solicitors have been protecting and supporting clients for 150 years, and enjoys a reputation nationwide for trusted legal advice. We are specialists in work related burn injury compensation claims, having successfully represented employees who have been burned at work across a range of industries.

Bartletts Solicitors handle accident at work claims on a no win no fee basis, meaning that you will not have to pay any legal fees until you win your claim and receive your compensation, and will not have to pay anything if your claim is unsuccessful. Since a change in the law in April 2013, all law firms now charge a success fee payable upon conclusion of successful work accident claims, calculated as a percentage of the damages awarded. Contact our specialist team today for free and confidential legal advice.

Our firm has been using the law to protect and support our clients since 1860 and is fully regulated, serving clients all over England and Wales. Our firm is Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.