After developing breathing problems, she was diagnosed with the lifelong lung condition, which was linked to prolonged exposure to flour dust while working on a production line. The illness has had a lasting impact on her health and everyday life.

With the support of her union, the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), she instructed Thompsons Solicitors to bring a legal claim against her employer.

The claim argued that she had been exposed to unsafe levels of flour dust over a number of years and that more should have been done to assess and control the risks associated with that exposure.

Although her employer denied liability, independent medical experts concluded that her condition was caused by her work. Occupational hygiene experts also found that better measures should have been in place to control flour dust and reduce the risk to workers.

The claim settled for £37,500 in May 2026, just weeks before it was due to go to trial.

While the settlement recognised the impact the illness has had on her life, the client says one of the most important outcomes has been seeing improvements made in the workplace since her claim - this includes better PPE and ventilation in the factory.

She is pleased that changes introduced by her employer will help better protect her colleagues from developing the same preventable condition.

The worker said: "Developing occupational asthma has changed my life and I wish it had never happened but I am really grateful to my union and Thompsons for supporting me every step of the way.

“I'm also pleased my claim has helped lead to changes that will better protect other people at work, and I hope that by speaking out similar lessons can also be learnt in bakeries across the country.”

Philip Liptrot, Head of Personal Injury at Thompsons Solicitors, said: "Occupational asthma can have a serious and lasting impact on people's lives, but it is often preventable.

"Employers have a legal duty to properly assess and control exposure to flour dust and take steps to protect their workforce from avoidable harm.

"We're pleased to have secured a successful outcome for our client and that changes have since been made to help protect other workers in the future.

"We're also proud to work alongside the BFAWU to support its members. Thanks to her union membership, our client was able to access specialist legal representation at no cost to her and keep 100% of the compensation she recovered."

Sarah Wooley, General Secretary of the BFAWU, said: “We’re proud to have supported our member throughout her claim and pleased that the outcome has not only secured justice for her but also led to improvements that will help protect other bakery workers in the future.

“This case is a reminder of why strong health and safety standards matter and why it’s so important for workers to have the backing of their union when things go wrong.”