‘Work’s PPE fail left me in hell’
A GEELONG man says he is suffering from a serious inflammatory disease because of the lack of PPE provided at work, despite him being exposed to harmful airborne particles every shift.
Luke Taylor, 43, claims he was not provided proper face masks by his contract company, or the company he worked at, to protect him from inhaling fly ash and sand particles.
This is despite the sand particles he was handling and inhaling having a high concentration of granite, making it as dangerous as silica dust.
Mr Taylor’s job involved operating the cogeneration furnace that burned tons of rubbish in silos, which created steam for a paper mill.
Mr Taylor said a few months after he began working at the mill, he started getting regular headaches and developed a cough, which his colleagues called the “co-gen cough” because it was so common among staff.
His claims his health worsened, and he began experiencing backaches and other symptoms in his legs and, after speaking up about the need for better safety measures at the workplace, he learnt his position had been advertised without him knowing, prompting him to resign to search for a safer workplace.
Although Mr Taylor did find another job soon after, his health continued to deteriorate and eventually it became impossible for him to work.
A 2019 MRI revealed he had enlarged lymph nodes.
A lung biopsy then led to a diagnosis of sarcoidosis – a disease characterised by the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells in any part of the body that are commonly found in the lungs and lymph nodes.
Mr Taylor said he was consistently short of breath and struggled to perform any sort of physical activity or heavy lifting.
“I have problems with my legs, which often feel heavy or as if they’re asleep. I also get pins and needles in my leg and joint pains, which largely impact my lower back, knees and elbows,” he said.
“I feel lethargic all the time and get worn out really quickly, so while I can be full of energy early in the day, by about 1pm, I’m fighting to stay awake,” he said.
“I have to take steroids daily and other medication to help with the joint pain and migraines, so it’s having a huge impact on me.
“I’ve put on weight too because of the steroids I take, and I struggle to sleep because of the constant pain, and sometimes a rash appears all over my body. It’s hell,” Mr Taylor said.
He also struggles to look after and play with his children, aged 4 and 10.
Mr Taylor said he was frustrated that his health woes could have been avoided if he had been provided proper protective gear that staff were now required to wear at the workplace.
He now receives WorkCover benefits.
He has also been warned by doctors to take extreme care during the pandemic as he is vulnerable to catching Covid because of his respiratory problems.
Mr Taylor’s lawyer, associate Audrey Gunn, from Slater and Gordon, said his client’s situation highlighted why it was so important that all employers and employees prioritised workplace safety.
“No one should be injured at work and Luke’s life has unfairly been turned upside down through what appears to have been no fault of his own,” Ms Gunn said.
The company Mr Taylor was contracted to work for did not response to requests for comment.