The agriculture industry is one of the biggest for accidents at work. Agriculture accidents are, according to the Health and Safety Executive, the biggest cause of musculoskeletal disorders in the UK, with 2,030 in every 100,000 workers.
Figures such as this show that the agricultural industry can be a dangerous industry to work in. however, many of these accidents can be avoided by regular risk assessments and adequate training and safety measures. If your employer does not do these things then you may be able to make a claim.
Causes of Agriculture Accidents
The main causes of agriculture accidents include being struck by a moving vehicle or object, falling from height, being injured by an animal, slips and trips, accidents involving machinery and getting trapped in something collapsing or overturning.
Exposure to Asbestos over a long period of time is something that farm workers can be injured by. This long-term exposure to Asbestos can cause serious conditions, such as Asbestosis, Asbestos related cancers, and pleural thickening. Other industrial illness claims that farm workers may develop include noise-related hearing loss, respiratory diseases, certain types of cancer, and even vibration white finger.
It is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that you do not have accidents at work that can cause injury.
Your Employer’s Responsibility
Your employer is responsible for keeping you safe at work. On a farm, this is even more important, as there are a lot of things that can cause an injury. Your employer must make sure that the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) are met, and they do so by conducting risk assessments to ensure that everyone is kept safe. Employers must make sure that they do everything possible to avoid staff having accidents whilst at work.
If you have an accident at work and have to take time off, you should get agricultural sick pay. This means that you should be paid at least the agricultural minimum wage whilst you are off. This is, however, likely to be less than your usual wage. This will be taken into consideration when you are making a claim.
If you are self-employed, you may still be able to make a claim. Farm workers are often self- employed on a contractor basis. This means that there is still a company that they are working for. If the company fails in their duty to keep you safe, then they may be responsible for your accident.
How We Can Help
Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who deal with personal injury claims daily. This includes accidents at work, and agriculture accidents. Call us today on 0800 182 2187 to speak to our friendly helpful advisors or fill in the contact form on our website and we will call you back.