UNISON, the UK's largest union, won a record £37.4m over the past year in compensation for members injured at work -£3m more than the previous year.

In the North, £2.4m was awarded, and in Yorkshire and Humberside, £3.88m was handed out.

Common injuries included broken bones, cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, asthma or allergies caused by prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals, RSI and back, head, neck and stress-related injuries.

Among the compensation payouts this year was £5,000 to a cleaner at the University of Teeside who was sweeping the floor in the woodwork shop when a heavy door that had been propped up against some wood fell on her foot and broke it.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "This £37m compensation represents an awful lot of pain, injury and suffering for a lot of Unison members.

"Ask any one of them to choose between the compensation or their health, each would choose not to have been injured in the first place.

"Employers must take seriously their responsibilities for the health, safety and welfare of their staff. They should examine in their workplaces why these injuries happen and take steps to prevent repeats."