79 former Longbridge workers awarded occupational disease compensation

Compensation settlements ranging from £500 to £180,000 have been awarded to 79 former employees at the Longbridge Powertrain plant after they contracted a work-related disease.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the workers were victim to the world's biggest outbreak of occupational asthma at the factory due to them being exposed to metal fluids that caused them severe breathing difficulties.

A legal case was launched in 2003 to claim damages for the affected parties and awards have now been finalised, with the smallest being £500 and the largest £180,000.

This follows on from an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive in 2006 which established that the fluids were definitely the cause of the employees' illness, as bacteria had been allowed to grow on them due to insufficient maintenance.

Therefore, it was decided that MG Rover, the parent company which was established in the early part of the 20th century, was responsible.

Posted by Patrick White
 

16/12/2010 16:55