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Welding Rod Fumes

If you are suffering from an industrial disease caused by exposure to welding rod fumes, you may be entitled to claim compensation.  Our specialist personal injury solicitors can provide expert claim advice and assistance, so contact us on 0800 032 8511 or by completing a claim enquiry form.

Use of Welding Rods
Illnesses Caused by Welding Rods
Making a Compensation Claim
Welding Fume Illness Compensation
Specialist Claim Advice

Use of Welding Rods

The fumes given off by welding rods can be extremely harmful to humans if they are not provided with adequate protection or ventilation.

There are therefore detailed regulations that organisations and individuals have to adhere to when using hazardous substances, namely the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (or COSHH) Regulations.  All employers have an obligation to protect their employees from exposure to hazards such as welding rod fumes in the workplace.

Some precautions that can be taken to reduce employees' exposure to welding fumes are: adequate ventilation systems, fume extraction facilities, avoidance of welding in confined spaces, adopting the safest possible working practices and the use of respiratory protection equipment.

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Illnesses Caused by Welding Rod Fumes

There are a number of illnesses that can be caused by exposure to the fumes from welding rods.  Some examples are:

• Asthma – most often occurring in those welding stainless steel, due to metals present in the fumes such as chromium and nickel.
• Chronic Bronchitis – commonly caused by excessive exposure in confined spaces.
• Metal Fume Fever – only occurs in more severe cases, causing flu like symptoms.
• Welders Siderosis – often benign, this condition is caused by iron particles present in the lungs.

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Making a Compensation Claim

Anyone who has been exposed to an irritant or hazardous substance and suspects that this may have caused a personal injury or disease, should seek medical advice immediately.  In every case, medical evidence will be required.  Detailed expert evidence is often also required in disease cases to show that the condition suffered by a claimant was caused by exposure to a particular substance.

In any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.

If a family member has died from a disease caused by exposure to welding fumes, it may still be possible to make a claim posthumously.

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Welding Fume Illness Compensation

There are two elements to a compensation award.  The first is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and what is known as loss of amenity.  This is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things that you used to be able to do before (eg wash your car, walk the dog, go shopping etc).  The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after an accident or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.

The second element of a compensation award is for your losses and expenses and is known as special damages.  It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to your illness, so that these can be reclaimed.  The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the industrial disease had never developed.

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Specialist Claim Advice

At The Legal Line, our lawyers specialise in all areas of personal injury, including industrial disease, and have extensive experience in recovering compensation for the victims of illnesses caused by welding fumes.  They can provide expert advice and assistance in reviewing your case and working towards the best possible outcome.

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