December 2009 | Asthma sufferer wins payout

An employee, who worked for Turbo Power Systems in June 2007, has won compensation on the grounds that her employer failed to warn her of the know dangers of rosin-based soldering wire. The un-named worker spent as much as six hours a day soldering in poorly ventilated conditions.

The soldering wire she used is very hazardous and a well-known cause of occupational asthma. Within weeks of working in this way the employee developed the debilitating condition.

An action was then brought against her Turbo Power Systems who admitted liability and agreed to pay £20,000 compensation plus legal costs. The asthmatic condition is expected to continue throughout the employee’s life. A fine was also imposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for unlawfully exposing employees to soldering flux fumes which amounted to £3,000.

After working for more than 20 years in a factory environment the employee was made redundant from Turbo Power Systems and has been unable to find alternative employment.