Can I claim compensation for work related skin conditions?
Yes. Employers have a duty to minimise the risk as far as possible and so if your employer has failed to do this and has allowed you to work in conditions leading you to have direct contact with oils, petrol, diesel, chemicals, shampoos, cleaning products, hand gels without providing protection (barrier creams or gloves) then you may have a claim for compensation.
This compensation is to reflect the pain and suffering and so the amount will be dependent upon the severity of symptoms. You can also claim for any financial losses attributable to the condition such as loss of earnings, prescription charges and travel to medical appointments.
If you would like to speak to a member of our industrial diseases team about your skin condition please contact us on 0203 816 0065 for some free initial advice on your potential claim for compensation.
Work related skin conditions
Work related skin disease can be so severe in some cases that it requires a change of career.
The most common work related skin disease is contact dermatitis. This is an inflammation of the skin which is caused by coming into contact with skin irritants or skin sensitisers.
There are different types of dermatitis
Irritant contact dermatitis
Irritant contact dermatitis can flare up after a few contacts with strong chemicals like bleach, solvents, detergents, oils and prolonged or frequent contact with water and/or milder chemicals like shampoos, soaps and cleaning materials.
Allergic contact dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis can develop quickly after only a few contacts with a substance like shampoos, hair-dyes, cement, chemicals and food stuffs. With allergic contact dermatitis, the things you can become allergic to at work might also be things you use in your home, like your shampoo or household cleaners. So if you become allergic to something it could well have an impact on all aspects of your life.
Contact urticara
Contact urticara is a transient response of the skin which typically occurs rapidly following exposure and may resolve soon after exposure ceases. This can be with contact with plants, foods, and rubber or latex products.
What are the signs and symptoms of work related skin disease?
The typical progression is:
- Dryness
- Redness
- Itching
- Flaking, scaling or swelling
- Cracking or blistering
- Pain
