A FIREFIGHTER has received compensation from QinetiQ in Boscombe Down after his asthma worsened and he suffered a back injury.

Peter Eaton’s pre-existing lung condition became worse after being exposed to diesel fumes at Boscombe Down military airfield’s fire station, where the 52-year-old, pictured, began working in 1997.

Trucks would frequently drive in and out an unventilated vehicle garage and fill the area with diesel fumes.

Mr Eaton, of Wimborne, also says he developed a “painful” back injury after repeatedly carrying and lifting heavy carbon dioxide cylinders and fire extinguishers without any lifting equipment.

“We really started to notice the issue around 2010,” he said. “We tried to tell our employer by voicing our concerns about having to work in a toxic soup day in, day out, but our comments were held against us and we were warned that we would face sanctions if we continued to complain.”

Mr Eaton was compensated after working with Unite Legal Services and Thompsons Solicitors. An inspection of the depot as part of the case found that QinetiQ had installed ‘local exhaust ventilation’, which took fumes from vehicle exhausts out of the depot via a large pipe.

However, lawyers argued the depot – which was only built in 2000 – should have had this ventilation in the first place. It turned out that the company had only installed the extraction system because of an order from the Health and Safety Executive.

“I feel the way we were treated by QinetiQ was draconian with management-led employee forums in place of proper union representation,” said Mr Eaton.

A QinetiQ spokesperson said: “We take the health and safety of all our employees seriously and work to ensure that we have the right equipment and processes in place and that our people are empowered to do the right thing. This refers to a historical claim and it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases.”