The Occupational Disease & Injury Company Limited

The Nature of the Condition

Pleural Plaques

The least serious of the asbestos-related conditions can be symptomless show up on a chest x-ray or on a CT scan as a shadow on the lungs. Pleural plaques increase the risk of developing a more serious asbestos-related condition. Compensation for this condition is only payable for those living in Scotland.

Pleural Thickening

The presence of plaques may sometimes cause a thickening of the pleura (the delicate lining surrounding the lungs). Pleural thickening usually produces symptoms of breathlessness and pain. If you have been diagnosed with this condition then you should consider making a claim against your former employer(s) and a claim for Industrial Industries benefit.

Asbestosis

When fibrosis in the lungs becomes so widespread (diffused) the condition is given a diagnosis of asbestosis. The scarring causes the lungs to shrink and stiffen, resulting in a chronic, progressive disease. The period between exposure and diagnosis can be between 15 to 30 years. Symptoms of asbestosis may vary and can include breathlessness, dependency on inhalers and nebulisers, persistent and productive cough with associated spasm, chest tightness, chest pain, poor sleep or appetite loss, crackles within the lungs and clubbing of fingers and toes. A claim should be made against the employer(s) responsible for the condition and for Industrial Injuries benefit. Please be aware that smoking may be a contributory factor.

Lung Cancer

For asbestos to be a relevant feature in lung cancer, the claimant should be suffering with asbestosis. If the claimant is suffering from both conditions of asbestosis and lung cancer, the asbestos dust makes a material contribution to the tumour even if the claimant is a heavy smoker. However, establishing a link between asbestosis and lung cancer may be harder if you are a heavy smoker, as tobacco makes the lungs more susceptible to asbestos fibers. Therefore, a smoker with heavy exposure to asbestos fibers is more likely to develop lung cancer than someone who does not smoke.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is the most serious asbestos-related condition, invariably fatal and untreatable. This type of cancer can arise with the minimal or casual exposure to asbestos. 80% of people are exposed as a result of their working environment. The period between exposure and diagnosis is usually over 20-30 years. Smoking is not a relevant feature to the development of this disease. Symptoms include fluid in the chest cavity, cough, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest and abdominal regions that is unresponsive to traditional painkillers. Currently 3,000 people in Great Britain per year die from mesothelioma.

Asbestosis

Asbestos, now illegal to use in buildings, was used extensively in the past. Buildings built before 2000 (e.g. houses, factories, hospitals and schools) may contain asbestos. If you have worked in an environment where you were exposed to asbestos over a number of years (e.g. demolition work, plumbing or lagging), you could be at a high risk of developing asbestosis or a similarly related condition and potentially have a claim.

Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma can occur following prolonged exposure to substances at work, often specific to that industry (e.g. isocyanates, from the manufacture of paint, polyurethane foam, adhesives or surface coatings). When the bronchi tubes in the lungs are irritated, the airways narrow making it difficult to breath. This may cause wheezing or coughing and the chest become tight. The narrowing can be reversible, with the aid of inhalers.

Industrial Deafness

Industrial deafness is usually caused by the repeated exposure to excessive noise at work. Because hearing deteriorates gradually, the sufferer may not be aware that noise-induced hearing loss has occurred. Symptoms can include distorted or muffled sounds and difficulty in understanding speech, particularly in a crowded room. A simple hearing test can tell you if you suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.

Occupational Dermatitis

Occupational dermatitis affects virtually all industries and businesses. Initial symptoms can be redness, itching, scaling and blistering, but the skin can crack or bleed. Dermatitis can be severe enough to keep you off work and serious enough to force you to have to change your job. When spotted quickly and adequate precautions are taken, most people can make a full recovery. However, some people are affected for life.

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome

This condition is caused by the repeated and frequent use of hand held vibrating tools. Symptoms of white finger (VWF) may start when your hands get cold. To begin with, attacks are usually occasional and cause the fingertips to become white. However, with additional vibrations, the injury becomes worse. Sometimes, a person may only suffer with sensory nerve damage, developing problems of pins and needles or numbness in their fingers.

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