Baker’s asthma is a type of occupational asthma caused by repeated exposure to flour dust and other allergens commonly found in bakeries and certain food production environments. It’s one of the most common work-related respiratory conditions in the UK, and can have a significant impact on a person’s health and ability to work.
Prolonged exposure to the allergens that cause baker’s asthma can lead to long-lasting, chronic breathing conditions that can take a toll on your daily life. If your employer doesn’t take reasonable safety measures to protect you from exposure to the allergens that cause baker’s asthma, you may be entitled to claim compensation for any harm you’ve experienced.
What is Baker’s Asthma?
Asthma is a respiratory condition where your airways become inflamed and narrowed, making breathing more difficult.
Baker’s asthma is a kind of asthma triggered by inhaling certain airborne allergens released during food production, like flour dust, grain particles, nut particles, yeast, and enzymes. When inhaled, these allergens can cause your immune system to overreact, leading to airway inflammation. Over time, prolonged exposure can result in chronic breathing issues, significantly affecting both work and daily life.
As the name suggests, baker’s asthma affects bakers most often, but it also impacts flour mill workers, pastry chefs, confectioners, and a range of other food production employees. Those with pre-existing asthma or allergies to the airborne substances released in food production are at an even higher risk of developing baker’s asthma.
What are the symptoms of baker’s asthma?
The symptoms of baker’s asthma develop gradually and worsen over time with continued exposure to flour dust. Early signs that you may be developing the condition include:
- Frequent sneezing
- Runny nose
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Nasal congestion
As exposure continues, work-related asthma symptoms can become more severe, leading to:
- Wheezing
- Persistent coughing
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
One key indicator of occupational asthma, like baker’s asthma, is if your symptoms worsen during work hours and improve on days off. If your exposure to allergens isn’t reduced or eliminated, baker’s asthma can lead to long-term complications, including permanent lung damage.
How do you prove baker’s asthma was caused by your job?
To successfully claim compensation for occupational asthma like baker’s asthma, you’ll need to provide evidence that your respiratory condition was caused by exposure to allergens in your workplace. You should try to gather the following evidence:
- A formal medical diagnosis: See your GP, or a specialist they refer you to, to get a written confirmation that you have baker’s asthma.
- Workplace exposure records: Try to obtain copies of workplace records that report incidences of high levels of flour dust and other airborne allergens.
- Health and safety reports: Ask for copies of employer risk assessments and documents concerning compliance with COSHH regulations, as these may well indicate where your employer was negligent in their duty to protect you from harm.
- Witness statements: Speak to colleagues experiencing similar symptoms as their accounts can support your claim.
- A symptom diary: Keep a diary of what symptoms you experience and when, along with the times you worked as this can establish that your condition is worse when working.
- Employer communications: Keep copies of all communication you have with your employer about health and safety concerns. If you raised an issue, and your employer didn’t adequately respond to it, this can demonstrate negligence.
What are your employer’s responsibilities?
Under the Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, employers must take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful substances in the workplace. These legal obligations include:
- Conducting risk assessments to identify potential hazards
- Implementing protective measures such as installing dust extraction systems and providing proper ventilation
- Providing personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks and respirators
- Training employees on the safe handling of flour and dust control measures
- Monitoring employee health and taking action if symptoms arise
If an employer fails to follow these safety measures, they may be held liable for any resulting health conditions their employees experience, including occupational asthma like baker’s asthma.
Can I claim for baker’s asthma?
If your employer was negligent in protecting you from hazardous exposure to airborne allergens, you may be able to claim compensation for the harm they caused to your health. Baker’s asthma compensation claims can cover:
- Loss of earnings: You can be compensated for the loss of wages caused by not being able to work.
- Medical expenses: Including the costs of treatment, prescriptions, inhalers, and travel expenses involved with medical care.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation will also cover the distress, difficulties, pain, and suffering you experience during your everyday life due to having baker’s asthma.
It’s important to note that there’s usually a three-year time limit for making occupational disease claims. This typically starts from the date you were diagnosed or first became aware that your condition was work-related. However, even if this three-year limit has been passed for you, it’s still worth getting in contact with Injury Lawyers 4u to discuss your case.
How can Injury Lawyers 4u help with your asthma compensation claim?
At Injury Lawyers 4u, we have extensive experience in handling successful occupational illness claims, including cases of baker’s asthma.
Our expert solicitors can guide you through each step of making an occupational asthma compensation claim, including gathering the right evidence to support your case, working with medical professionals to confirm your diagnosis, and building a strong claim against your employer. We offer a No-Win, No-Fee service, ensuring you face no upfront legal costs when pursuing your claim with us, and guaranteeing you’ll only pay us if your claim is successful.
If you’ve developed baker’s asthma due to workplace exposure, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Our compensation calculator can give you an estimate of how much you could claim in general damages.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Call 0333 400 4445 or fill in a contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.