Paraphrenitis Blog

Law firm Eversheds has sounded an alarm on an increased number of cases of compensation claims by breast cancer victims who worked night shifts in Denmark. The suggestion has come following a United Nation study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which said that there is an increased chance of breast cancer for those employed in night shifts over a span of 30 years or more.

As a consequence of the report, the government of Denmark has now notified breast cancer due to working nightshifts as an industrial health hazard. There have been about 40 cases wherein women have been given compensation payments after they were diagnosed with breast cancer after having worked nightshifts for 20 to 30 years, and when no other reason existed to explain the development of the disease.

Even though it is not certain that the UK would follow the lead taken by the Danish government, Head of Personal Injury at international law firm Eversheds, Mr Brendan Padfield has asked the employers to be prepared to face the risks.

He stated that the Health and Safety Executive has not come out with any directions of their own and their research into the relationship between nightshift working and breast cancer is not likely to see the light of the day until 2011. However, it is also pertinent to note that employees in a European country have successfully won litigation based on the research and therefore the issue cannot be taken lightly by the employers in the UK. It’s essential for employers to keep themselves up to date with health and safety developments to avoid potential legal action from employers, this can be achieved by taking an IOSH Managing Safely course from Workplace Law Training.

Under similar conditions, bosses who had the foresight to issue warnings to employees who face the risk are in a better position when they face claims. Manifestation of cancer is also a long drawn affair, similar to asbestos related diseases, and its impact will only be felt many years later.