Common Causes of Work-Related Cancer

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Work related cancer is caused by exposure to carcinogens in the workplace, such as harmful dusts, fibres, radioactive substances and chemicals. People in certain occupations will be far more likely to be exposed to harmful carcinogens day after day, and will therefore be more susceptible to work related cancer.

For instance, a person who has worked in manufacturing, shipbuilding, aerospace or construction may come into close proximity to asbestos more often or more intensely than someone who works in an office, or somebody working outdoors may have greater unprotected exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays than someone who works in an enclosed environment.

In England and Wales it’s your employer’s legal responsibility to identify these potential causes of work-related cancer and take steps to keep you safe in the workplace. So if you are diagnosed with cancer and believe it’s down to the conditions at your place of work, we may be able to help you prove that your employer was negligent.

For free legal advice get in touch with our Industrial Disease Solicitors and we’ll be happy to look at the details of your claim. We may be able to act for you on a No Win, No Fee basis – ask us for details.

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FAQs About Work-Related Cancer

Common causes of work-related cancer include:

  • Arsenic
  • Asbestos dust and fibres
  • Benzidine
  • Cadmium
  • Dioxins
  • Formaldehyde
  • Leather Dust
  • Paint fumes
  • Rubber Production
  • Silica Dust
  • Tobacco smoke
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Ultraviolet Radiation
  • Vinyl Chloride
  • Wood dust

The nature of certain jobs in various industries means some people have a relatively high exposure to carcinogens, when compared with other workers.  High-risk industries include:

  • Aerospace
  • Agriculture
  • Construction
  • Forestry
  • Fishing
  • Painting and decorating
  • Manufacturing
  • Mining
  • Shipbuilding

For more information see Work Related Cancer Claims.

You need to start your claim within 3 years of the date you were diagnosed with cancer and you believe it was connected to your working conditions. If you’re claiming on behalf of someone who’s died from work-related cancer, you must make the claim within 3 years of the date of their death.

Employer Responsibilities

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, employers in England and Wales are legally required to conduct risk assessments to identify any harmful substances, including those that can cause cancer.

They should then take steps to either prevent or restrict an employee’s exposure to harmful substances, such as equipping them with personal protective equipment and monitoring and limiting how much time they spend working around known carcinogens. Employers must also make sure that members of staff are aware of any harmful substances that have been identified in the workplace, and inform them of what they can and should do to stay safe.

If an employer fails to take these steps and you’ve developed a cancer you believe may be linked to your working conditions, it may be – at least in part – the result of their negligence. Our Industrial Disease Solicitors are specialists in helping to prove liability (fault) and ensuring people who have developed work-related cancer receive appropriate amounts of compensation.

With the right compensation settlement in place, you should be able to get back into the financial position you would have been in had you not developed cancer. If you’ve paid out costly medical fees and lost out on much-needed earnings as a result of your illness, it’s only right that you should be compensated.

And if your condition has left you with long-term care and support needs and impacted on your quality of life, you should have the means of accessing what you need and be able to live as full and independent a life as possible.

Get in touch with our Industrial Disease Solicitors and we can advise you on whether you may be able to claim compensation.

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