Damages for Workers Exposed to Toxic Fumes

Eight Jobcentre employees have won a total of £12,600 in compensation after being exposed to toxic fumes at work.

The workers were exposed to a highly toxic chemical called Xylene. Contractors working on a footpath outside the Jobcentre had spilled a paving sealant that contained the dangerous substance.

The workers suffered a variety of symptoms including mild confusion, loss of balance, nausea and headaches. They continued to feel ill for months after the exposure.

It is thought that members of the public would also have been exposed to the hazardous fumes, but the Jobcentre workers were most at risk because of their close proximity to the spillage and because they worked in a confined space.

The workers brought a claim against both Harrow Council and their employer, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Their lawyers argued that the Council had failed in its duty to make organisations in the vicinity of the spillage aware of the potential danger, and the employer had failed to act on complaints from staff about the smell of fumes. Although neither party accepted liability, they agreed to pay compensation to the eight people affected.