There is disappointment in the air following a court ruling over safety hazards of excessive perfume.

A public servant in New South Wales has lost her appeal for compensation after claiming her colleagues’ perfume worsened her allergies.

The Department of Human Services worker retired on invalidity grounds in 2013, claiming she had been permanently impaired by the scents of her former workplace.

Comcare and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal heard that the staffer suffered from “multiple chemical sensitivity”, which she said was set off by exposure to perfumes, oils and chemicals.

She said the condition became worse after her agency moved into an air-conditioned building, and when colleagues abandoned a previous agreement by not to wear strong scents.

The Appeals Tribunal has now upheld Comcare’s rejection of her permanent impairment and non-economic loss compensation claim.

The authorities found that some of the symptoms came from factors including wood smoke, cleaning agents and other external sources.

It also found that the worker’s permanent impairment did not meet the minimum 10 per cent required in the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act.