Essential points to keep in mind when claiming for a cleaner injury
- You can claim compensation for injuries due to inadequate training or unsafe conditions, including slips, trips, falls, chemical exposure, or equipment-related accidents.
- Even agency and temp workers can claim, and you can't be fired for pursuing compensation.
- You may still be able to claim if you were partly responsible for your accident.
- You have 3 years from the date of your injury to start a claim.
- Injury compensation is calculated based on the severity of your injury, and any financial losses. Check your claim with our compensation calculator.
- Work injury claims are handled on a no win, no fee basis.
If a cleaner injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Cleaning work is hazardous due to exposure to chemicals, slips and falls, and repetitive motion.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by an injury or illness at work, we can help. If your injuries were caused by your employer or a co-worker, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee work accident compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
With over 30% of cleaners injured every year, you are not alone
Cleaners often face exposure to hazardous cleaning chemicals during their work. They risk injury from a variety of work accidents, such as working on stairs while carrying and using bulky equipment like vacuum cleaners.
The pressure of tight schedules and working in poorly-maintained buildings can further increase the risk of accidents and injuries for cleaners.
Injuries sustained by cleaners are commonplace according to the HSE, with slips and trips, manual handling and falls from height leading to back injuries, occupational dermatitis and other injuries.
In a study of cleaners in the medical sector, the annual injury rate was found to be 32.1 per 100 person-years (academic.oup.com).
If you were injured while working as a cleaner, you may be eligible to claim financial compensation.
See also:
How much compensation can I claim for a cleaner injury?
Compensation for an injury working as a cleaner is dependent on:
- how significant your injury is,
- how your injury disrupts your life and work,
- any financial burdens or costs arising from your injury.
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General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your cleaner injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.
Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average cleaner injury compensation payouts
The following cleaner injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Dermatitis
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms resolve with treatment, or short term aggravation of an existing condition | £1,890 to £4,380 |
| Longer-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms take several months or years to resolve with treatment | £9,590 to £12,660 |
Hernia injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Uncomplicated indirect inguinal hernia, with no other damage | £3,760 to £8,030 |
| Moderate | Direct inguinal hernia, with some risk of recurrence after repair | £7,780 to £10,110 |
| Serious | After repair, you still experience ongoing pain and your daily life and ability to work is affected | £16,530 to £26,810 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
| Severe | Severe symptoms, including ongoing pain, disability and which are likely to worsen and require future surgery (arthroplasty or arthrodesis) | £57,830 to £77,360 |
| Very severe | Very severe knee injury with joint disruption, osteoarthritis, ligament damage and significant pain, and/or requiring extensive surgery | £77,360 to £106,740 |
Lung disease
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary aggravation of bronchitis | Temporary aggravation of existing bronchitis or other chest problems, with recovery in a few months | £2,450 to £5,910 |
| Slight breathlessness | Slight breathlessness with no effect on your working life, with full recovery expected within a few years likely | £11,810 to £23,070 |
| Bronchitis and wheezing | Bronchitis and wheezing with little or no impact on your work or social life | £23,070 to £34,740 |
| Breathing difficulties | Breathing difficulties and/or asthma that requires frequent use of an inhaler, and that affects your daily life and ability to work | £34,740 to £60,840 |
Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | RSI with complete recovery within a few months | £2,450 to £3,920 |
| Moderate | RSI symptoms resolving in the course of up to three years | £9,590 to £11,930 |
| Serious | Continuing, but fluctuating and unilateral RSI symptoms | £16,530 to £18,130 |
| Severe | RSI with continuing disability to both sides, requiring surgery and affecting your ability to work | £24,310 to £25,650 |
Am I eligible for cleaner injury compensation?
You have the right to claim compensation for a cleaner injury, if:
- you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
- someone else was responsible, and;
- they owed you a legal duty of care.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
Claiming when you're partially at fault
Personal injury claims often involve circumstances where there is some degree of blame on each side.
We found that, in our 2025 Work Injury Claimant Survey, 26.02% of injured workers were unsure as to which party was legally liable for their injuries.
Your claim could still be possible if your actions contributed to your injury or illness. If you were injured on the job by a co-worker's actions, you can still claim compensation from your employer, based on the principle of vicarious liability.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to make a cleaner injury claim?
In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.
If you were injured due to someone else's negligence but didn't realise it at the time, you may have longer to make a claim. Typically, you have three years from the date you either received a diagnosis or became aware of the negligence (known as the 'date of knowledge') to start your claim.
Cleaning products and chemicals
Cleaning products contain chemicals that may be hazardous if inhaled, ingested or splashed on the skin. Injuries such as chemical burns, allergic reactions and contact dermatitis are relatively common among workers who regularly use cleaning products. Acute or long-term exposure to harmful chemicals can also induce chronic respiratory problems such as asthma.
Under The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations employers have a duty to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. If this is not possible, then the employer must train the employee on the safe use of the chemical and provide personal protective equipment such as goggles, overalls and gloves.
Failure to provide suitable protective equipment may be evidence of an employer's negligence.
Manual handling injuries
"Manual handling" describes the pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying of items. Cleaners regularly move vacuum cleaners, floor polishers and furniture in the performance of their duties, all of which are types of manual handling activity.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are designed to protect employees from injuries caused by manual handling at work.
Employers must eliminate any non-essential manual handling activities and take reasonable steps to make the remaining tasks as safe as possible. This includes training staff on how to lift and carry safely.
Exposure to asbestos
Working in older buildings may expose cleaners to asbestos. When lagging and asbestos-containing insulation materials become damaged they tend to create a dust that cleaners may inhale when sweeping up.
The health conditions associated with asbestos may take many years to develop. Provided that the illness can be shown to have been caused by exposure to asbestos fibres, compensation is likely to be available.
Claims for historic exposure may be brought against a former employer, even if the employer has gone out of business. These usually will be paid out by the employer's insurance company (at the time of the accident). Your solicitor will be able to identify the relevant insurer.
Lacerations and needlestick injuries
Broken glass, scalpels and syringes are capable of causing cuts and needlestick injuries if they are negligently disposed into ordinary waste bins instead of special "sharps" bins. Cleaners are also at risk of needlestick injury whilst cleaning public areas such as public toilets, parks and stairwells where syringes have been discarded.
Employers must provide cleaners with heavy duty, cut-resistant gloves to minimise the risk of injury. They must also ensure that machinery with blades, rotating parts and motors is maintained in good condition and training is given on the proper use of the equipment.
Employers who fail to observe these health and safety standards could be held liable under a range of legislation for failing to protect an employee from avoidable harm.
See also:
Amputation compensation claims
Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 6 April 2022.
This legislation means that employers have an obligation to provide free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all workers, including workers who are self-employed or on a zero-hours contract.
Under the previous 1992 regulations, employers were only required to provide PPE to employees with a formal employment contract.
If you are injured when working as a cleaner and your employer failed to provide you with suitable PPE, you may be entitled to claim compensation - even if you are self-employed.
Read more:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) injury claims
Employer responsibility in agency worker injury claims
If you were injured while working as an agency worker, you might be entitled to compensation. Click the icon below to find out more.
Can I make a no win, no fee cleaner injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim cleaner injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to a work accident specialist about your claim?
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Health and safety topics in the cleaning industry (reviewed: 29/07/2024)
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (reviewed: 01/08/2024)
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (reviewed: 29/07/2024)
Epidemiology of occupational injury among cleaners in the healthcare sector | Occupational Medicine | Oxford Academic (reviewed: 30/07/2024)
Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.