Cardiff University hit with £280,000 penalty after 15-year allergen contact leads to staff occupational asthma
Two staff members at Cardiff University have developed permanent occupational asthma after years of exposure to animal allergens, prompting the institution to be ordered to pay £280,000 at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on April 30. The university pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which was represented in court by enforcement lawyer Daniel Poole and paralegal officer Helen Jacob. In addition to the fine, Cardiff University was directed to cover prosecution costs of £11,745.
The HSE’s investigation established that both workers now suffer from irreversible respiratory conditions as a direct consequence of their workplace exposure. One of the affected employees provided a detailed account of the toll the illness has taken. “I was diagnosed with occupational asthma and occupational rhinitis, and my lung function has been permanently decreased by 33 per cent,” they said. “As a result, my breathing has been terrible, and I struggle walking any distance. Going upstairs is really difficult. I have to take a steroid inhaler, a nasal spray and a bronchodilator throughout the day as I need it. I become breathless when having long conversations and I am unable to walk and talk at the same time anymore.” The severity of the condition forced one of the two employees to leave their position entirely.
The court heard that the university’s failings spanned a 15-year period, from 2008 to 2025, during which it neglected its responsibility to establish appropriate safeguards to protect its workforce from animal allergens. Investigators concluded that Cardiff University had not introduced sufficient protective measures despite the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) having been in force since 1989. Furthermore, specific guidance aimed at those working with laboratory animals had been publicly available since 2011, yet the institution still failed to act appropriately.
Occupational asthma remains a recognised work-related disease with the potential for severe and lasting health consequences, including permanent disability that can leave sufferers unable to work again. Nationally, around 7.2 million people in the UK have asthma, with approximately 160,000 new diagnoses each year. Occupational asthma accounts for between 9 and 15 per cent of adult-onset cases. While reported cases had fallen since 2000, recent data suggests a possible reversal of that trend since 2014. Common workplace causes include isocyanates and flour, though research also highlights cleaning products, sterilising agents, acids and fumes. Surveys by Asthma + Lung UK found that over half of those with asthma experienced a flare-up at work, and nearly one in six feared their condition might hold them back professionally.
Employers who handle animals or biological agents have a legal duty to assess allergen exposure risks and implement appropriate protective measures. The HSE’s framework for controlling animal allergens requires a hierarchy of controls: engineering measures, administrative procedures, and personal protective equipment. All personnel who may be exposed — including technicians, scientific staff, students, and cleaning and maintenance workers — must be protected. Cardiff University’s own research involves laboratory-bred rodents and fish, with 22,712 procedures carried out in 2024, the vast majority on mice. The university states that it is a signatory to the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research and follows the “3Rs” principle of replacement, reduction and refinement, operating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Janet Hensey said: “This was a case of Cardiff University failing to properly deal with very real risks to employees working with animals and not putting suitable controls in place to prevent exposure. The fact this went on for 15 years is truly concerning. Occupational asthma is a recognised work-related disease with potentially disabling consequences. HSE will not hesitate to take action against organisations which do not do all that they can to keep people safe.”
Cardiff University issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and apologising to the affected staff members. It acknowledged that during the specified period it “did not always meet its responsibilities to adequately protect employees from exposure to laboratory animal allergens in one of our animal facilities.” The university said the issues identified had already been addressed through significant improvements following an HSE improvement notice, and that it has implemented “robust policies, procedures and practical measures to ensure the highest standards of health and safety in all our animal research facilities,” which are regularly reviewed. It added that there was “no cause for concern regarding safety in our buildings” and that business continues uninterrupted. The institution also offers a Staff Wellbeing Group and an Employee Assistance Programme for support.
