ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Cleaners working at a UK hospital have won €80,700 in damages after becoming ill following exposure to a chemical disinfectant at work.

The 22 employees of the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust began using Actichlor seven years ago. They were allegedly not given any training in its use and mixed the product with hot water in small, enclosed spaces.

This led to symptoms such as runny eyes, nasal sores and wheezy coughs. Actichlor should be diluted with cold water in a large, ventilated area.

All 22 employees belong to public service union UNISON. A union spokesman said: "To make matters worse the masks that the staff had been given were useless and the goggles didn't fit anyone who wore glasses."

The cleaners were awarded compensation on the grounds that the hospital had provided sub-standard equipment and had failed to comply with safety regulations.

Thompsons Solicitors who took on the case now believe it may have repercussions for other health trusts.

According to spokesman for Thompsons Nicholas Seymour: "The concern now is that Actichlor is being used by NHS trusts across the country - and may be being prepared in similar conditions - causing lasting damage to respiratory systems and all sorts of other illnesses. We would urge anyone working with Actichlor who is unwell to get in touch with their union."

A Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: "Ensuring we have a clean and germ-free hospital is very important and to do this we use effective cleaning products. It is essential that these products are used correctly. As soon as we became aware that some staff had reported problems when preparing the cleaning substances we revised our training so that there was absolute clarity on how to use them."