VEHICLE paint sprayers in the North-west vehicle paint sprayers are 96 times more likely to develop occupational asthma than other workers.

The Health and Safety Executive has issued a health alert about the dangers of breathing in harmful chemicals in paint mist.

Steve Coldrick, head of disease reduction programme at HSE said: "We know that levels of occupational asthma are particularly high in this industry but they don't have to be. The problem is that air-fed masks are removed too soon, so we want vehicle paint sprayers to wear their protective masks until the paint mist has cleared."