Change in Legalisation because of a big gap that needs filling,

Back in May 2019 I had a horrible accident which could have been prevented before it even started, Unfortunately I think a massive gap can be filled in changing the legalisation about CIP sets with making it mandatory to have air testers around all cleaning processes,

This is to protect the workers from being overcome with chemical fumes which has resulted me in being 32% disabled at the age of 27 which has been tough to swallow so on the back of that change needs to happen now.

In America it’s mandatory to have air testers around all CIP sets I want this to happen here in the UK as the gap is massive this is to improve health and safety in the work place, protect employees and employers a like from such occurrences happening again.

The accident itself wasn’t my fault, it could have been prevented and now stuck taking 8 lots of medication due to breathing and eye issues because of chemical fumes, The use of chemicals are used more and more every year, according to the new document published by HSE https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/ occupational lung disease the deaths are currently sat at 12,000 a year and with 17,000 cases every year of new occupational lung diseases being reported this is 17,000 people to many.

Change needs to happen now to make Air testers mandatory protect the workers from life long suffering.  

The story starts in May 2019 the 10th to be exact, I’m due to start my night shift at Heineken Tadcaster I’m a technical brewer so just getting having my food just really waiting for my night shift, that same day we had a company in to fix a CIP tank as it was leaking chemicals mainly PAA, outside company called RIPCO was due to come in Wednesday on the morning to fix said leaks on the plastic storage tank but never showed unfortunately nobody checked this and this is how my accident story starts....

I was 28 at the time of the accident running double marathons, playing professional futsal and had a very good social life on Friday 10th 2019 my life changed forever with life changing injuries, I have gone in on my night shift it’s a Thursday night around 23:00-01:00 so early hours Friday morning me and my work buddy or work partner are doing CIP on a filter do to it needing doing for the conformance to make sure everything is clean for the week, this is the first time the CIP set has been used after the apparent repairs, unfortunately me and my work buddy had been overcome with chemical fumes which consisted of eyes burning, coughing and unable to breathe.

We had unknowingly gone into a room full of chemical fumes we had no PPE namely breathing equipment, no air testers had been installed and at this point we knew that the repairs had not been complete but signed of as ok to be used by the engineering manager at the time, I struggled on for the rest of my shift and that day Friday 10th I ended up in York hospital coughing up blood, I didn’t really know what had happened for this to happen.

One week later I returned to the GPs I couldn’t breathe they said it was seasonal and prescribed me Beconase which is for hay fever no further tests done and I was sent on my way reminding them none of my family have hay fever but said I had it, my condition was getting worse throughout 2019 I had been back to the GPs 7 times with breathlessness and eye problems but again no tests done, I was waking up on the night unable to breathe during this time.

Fast forward to March 2020 pre pandemic, I went to the GPs again and they said I was having heart failure and rushed me to York hospital, they had done tests on my heart ECGs came back as okay at this point they said it was COVID 19 and I also had white coat syndrome they proceeded to send me home with betablockers even though my heart was okay and signed off sick for 3 months by occupational health but nobody including me knew what was wrong I just knew I was unwell. 

During my 3-month sickness I had no medical support with no inhalers but was told to carry on with the beta blockers. At the time I didn’t know that betablockade made asthma worse so during this time my breathing got even worse to the point I couldn’t even walk upstairs, and I thought at that time I was dying I tried to take my own life by hanging myself I was 29 at this point. Work rings me to start disciplinary procedures because of my sickness at this point I go to occupational health for 3 months at this point I thought I was losing my job I have never been disciplined in my working life, during the time with occupational health I finally get referred to a professor called Paul Cullinan at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. The first bit of advice was to come off the beta blockers. I saw instant improvement in my breathing but was still struggling to do daily jobs.

A couple months later after doing a number of tests within his clinic I was told that I had irritant induced asthma bearing in mind we are now in 2021 so 2 years after the accident and was prescribed lots of medication namely: Flixotide 250, Montelukast and Ventolin inhaler, this is the first time anyone had tested for asthma during this time I was also seeing a medical legal doctor called Peter Howard who did even more tests after my six minute walk test came into the room said sorry but you are now classed as disabled on a modified medical research council scale at 32 % my heart dropped safe to say I haven't ever cried so much, this is irreversible damage that I have to live with for the rest of my life.

I then go on the war path at work to find out they knew it hadn't been fixed but we had never been told the repair was never made and was signed off as okay to use again with no checks while we were off shift, at this point I proceed to claim against the company which is still ongoing work became exceedingly difficult with me during this time. Until I found further evidence plus the evidence of the doctor, they unwilling accepted liability for my life changing injuries but work relations are still on a knife edge especially with HR, with the claim going in I know I have put a big red X on my back.

Fast forward to this year I get given more bad news with regards to my eyes being affected meaning I need glasses for the rest of my life, I have never needed glasses as its scared my Iris again another kick in the balls if like and again being irreversible damage 4 different eye drops when before the accident my eyes had never been a problem, The last and final kick in the balls I went to a physiatrist who has now told me during this year I have PTSD from the accident which I thought it was only armed forces got not just Joe Bloggs so I have been dealing with that on top of my other issues.

Unfortunately, in September namely 6/09/2021, the CIP set where I had my accident was leaking a lot of PAA again! I didn’t know it was leaking as no signage was up or no communication was sent out either warning us it’s leaking like it was! Same room but looks like the window has been open as it’s that strong! Same symptoms eyes watering, coughing today my chest and throat are really sore again! It feels like the inhalers are not working. Again, the problem was brought up a week ago when I was on holiday in Scotland, but it wasn’t fixed and is still leaking.

I'm now 32 and my health has worsened and slowly on the decline with my breathing, I now see two breathing specialists, in pulmonary rehab for my breathing and see my councillor once a week.

Thank you for your time and please sign let’s make a difference together for a better workplace environment.