£5500 settlement for occupational dermatitis

An aircraft engine manufacturing firm has agreed to pay £5500 compensation in an out-of-court settlement to an employee who developed painful dermatitis after he was exposed to a corrosive coolant at work. He was exposed to the coolant while working as a turner on aircraft turbines. He was assigned to cover for workmates on a drilling machine. The job involved picking sharp metal off-cuts out of coolant that had built up in the base of the drill. He was provided with gloves with a plastic lining to protect his hands, but the protective gloves were unsuited to the job and were easily punctured by the metal off-cuts, bringing his hands into contact with the corrosive coolant.