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The Workplace Safety Index

Posted on 18th March 2021 by Jonathon

We studied top UK industries to determine the best and the worst for employee safety, and the results look positive, with many industries reporting high scores for employee safety. The rate of accident and injury in the workplace is gradually slowing down year on year – but could it be that the COVID pandemic has accelerated this, increasing awareness and attention to detail in employee safety?

On the whole, results show that employees feel safe in the workplace, with the average respondent rating their workplace at 8.1 out of 10. Interestingly, it is not just that they feel safe from the threat of COVID-19. The report also includes workplace machinery, the condition of floors and buildings, and PPE equipment. In almost every area and in every industry, UK employees have scored their workplace highly.

Agriculture

With a safety score of 7.8 out of 10, Britain’s most dangerous industry seems to have been doing something right. Workplace machinery, the largest concern for farmers, was given a safety score of 7.6, while stability of flooring and building conditions scored 7.4 and 7.7 respectively.

Healthcare

Healthcare professionals have ranked the distributed PPE in their industry at 8.2, showing most employees feel safe when it comes to personal protection equipment, which is excellent news.

In terms of practical danger, intricate medical machinery ranks among the safest of UK workplace equipment at 7.9. Condition of floors is also up at 8, but interestingly, the general condition of buildings is lower at 7.7. It may be that it’s been all hands on deck in containing the pandemic in hospitals, and general building maintenance has taken a backseat.

Hospitality

Hospitality again is feeling safe. When asked on a scale of 1-10 (10 being very safe) how safe employees feel in the workplace, the average UK worker in this sector answered 8.3.

However, when asked how safe employees felt when thinking about PPE at their job, the average answer was lower at 7.7 Whilst still high, this shows perhaps a slight slacking of PPE rules in the hospitality industry the longer venues have remained open.

Office work

Dubbed the safest place to work, employees working in offices give their workplaces an average score of 8.4.

Like healthcare, employees feel slightly less safe in regards to the conditions of buildings, dropping to 8 out of 10. Whilst still being high, this may reflect the periods of time offices were vacant during the pandemic; perhaps issues have arisen due to buildings being unused, which are now surfacing as people have returned.

Public service

Matching office employees with its safety rating of 8.4, the public service too seems to be taking care of its employees. Respondents of the survey ranked workplace machinery 8.2, and condition of floors 8.1.

Unlike general office workers and hospital workers, public service employees feel safer in regards to the general condition of buildings, with the average score 8.2.

Retail

Respondents in the retail industry have given the industry 7.9 out of 10. Whilst trailing most of the other industries in the study, this still shows retail is overall going in the right direction in terms of employee safety.

Attitudes towards equipment and conditions is also positive, with machinery at 7.8, the state of flooring at 7.7, and infrastructure at 7.7.

Education

Designed as an area of wellbeing for children of all ages, you’d expect nothing less than exceptional safety in the classroom, so it’s no surprise that it tops our index as the most highly thought of workplace for safety (8.4), matching offices and the public service. Classroom flooring also scores highly with 8.3, and workplace machinery was 8.4.

When it comes to COVID, the classroom has been hit as hard as any other workplace, but PPE distribution in schools (7.2) is among the worst of any sector. Similarly, 62% of teachers feel social distancing hasn’t been enforced sufficiently, although the practical application could be tricky given the energetic and lively nature of children.

Transport and logistics

Due to the vehicular nature of the job, it was unsurprising that transport workers consider their day-to-day machinery among the least safe of all industries, and with a score of 7.5, this remains the case.

When it comes to the builds involved in their work, employees are feeling less than safe, with the score coming in at 7.6. Feelings towards safety in regards to PPE was also at 7.7. With Brexit causing a stir amongst the transport industry, it seems worker safety may have taken a hit along the way.

Warehousing

Warehousing is regarded as one of the more dangerous industries at 7.9, trailing behind many industries investigated, but still holding a respectable score in the grand scheme of things. When it comes to how safe people feel in regards to machinery it gained a score of 7.8 out of 10.

Conditions of floors were scored 7.7, showing that a sizable amount of people feel safe, although there are still improvements to be made. Like healthcare and office work, general conditions of buildings was lower at 7.5, perhaps for similar reasons to healthcare – with high demand during lockdown, building repairs might not have been a priority.

Compiling workplace data from real employees, we’ve managed to reveal which UK industries are the safest, and which are, indeed, the most dangerous for workplace accidents. For even more expert debate and advice around the subject of workplace safety, enjoy exploring the latest on our blog.

Accidents at Work for Non-Permanent Staff

Posted on 11th March 2021 by Jonathon

Accidents at work can be bad for anyone; having to take time off work when you can not afford it and worrying about work can be stressful. This can be made worse if you have had an accident at a workplace where you are not a permanent member of staff. However, your employer has the same amount of responsibility to an agency or temporary worker as they do to a permanent member of staff.

So if you have had an accident at work as a non-permanent staff member and it was someone else’s fault, then you may still be able to claim compensation.

If you have had an accident whilst working for an agency, temporary contract or sub-contract, you have the same right to claim as a permanent employee. Employers have a duty of care to everyone who is working for the company, including agency staff. Agency staff must have the adequate site induction when starting at a new company. Agency staff must also have the same level of training as a permanent employee would have, and the same risk assessments must also be carried out.

Accidents at Work for Non-Permanent Staff: Your Employer’s Responsibility

It is your employer’s responsibility to keep you safe at work. They must make sure you have the correct training and equipment to be able to do your job correctly. Risk assessments must also be carried out, to ensure the job is done safely. Your employer must follow the Health and Safety at work Regulations.

If your employer has not followed the guidelines to keep you safe at work, or has done so incorrectly, you may be able to claim compensation. We understand that you may feel uneasy about claiming against your employer, however all employers must have employer’s liability insurance. This covers the costs of accidents at work. It is the insurance which would pay the compensation, so your employer would not be directly out of pocket.

Risk Assessments

Industries where non-permanent staff members are common include construction sites, warehouses and production. All of these industries can be dangerous, and require risk assessments. Risk assessments are vital in ensuring that accidents do not happen. The employer is responsible for completing risk assessments. This makes sure that all employees who undertake the job do so safely.

During a risk assessment, your employer takes into consideration factors such as; training needs, the amount of people required to lift the object safely if it is manual handling, how many people are needed to do the job safely, the safety of the equipment being used (if any) and if there are any specific needs to the job, for example machinery or protective clothing.

How We Can Help with Accidents at Work for Non-Permanent Staff

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of accident at work claims. This includes claiming if you have had an accident as a non-permanent staff member. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

What Are Occupier’s Liability Accidents?

Posted on 23rd February 2021 by Jonathon

Any private premises in the UK has an owner; someone who is responsible for keeping people who visit the premises safe. Private premises can be anything from shops to car parks. Occupier’s liability is the area of law that deals with this duty of care and occupier’s liability accidents. It concerns anyone who owns a property that the public can visit.

The Difference Between Occupier’s Liability and Public Liability

Occupier’s liability refers to anyone who owns a property that the public can visit. Due to this, they are sometimes wrongly referred to as public liability accidents. However, the difference is in the owner of the place where the accident happened. Public liability generally covers places that the council own and are responsible for. Occupier’s liability covers places that are privately owned.

Occupier’s Liability Accidents

The types of accidents that generally come under occupier’s liability accidents include accidents in shops, supermarkets, car parks, restaurants, and private residences. Owners of properties must take steps to help ensure that people do not have accidents on their premises.

There are many causes of accidents that fall under occupier’s liability. Some of these include:

Slipping on wet surfaces
Tripping over uneven floors or obstacles left in walkways
Being struck by a falling object, such as an item falling from a shelf
Accidents in car parks due to poor layouts or bad lighting
Malfunctioning lifts and automatic doors

These causes of accidents are easy to avoid. The owner of the premises should ensure that they put measures in place to avoid accidents like this from happening. They must ensure they follow rules set out in the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 to minimise the risk of accidents happening. If they fail to do this then they may be liable if someone has an accident on their premises.

Children and Occupier’s Liability Accidents

Some of the more common occupier’s liability accidents involve children. If children are visiting a place that falls under occupier’s liability, then the owner must take extra care to minimise the risk of children having accidents. This is because children tend to be less careful than adults whilst out in public.

If your child has had an accident is a public or private place, then you may be able to claim on their behalf. If your child is under 18, then a parent or guardian may make a claim for them. Their parent or guardian also has until the child turns 18 to make a claim. If the child is over 18 then they have until they are 21 to make a claim themselves.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who deal with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes accidents in private places. This means that they have the expertise to help you with your potential claim. Contact us today by filling in our contact form or by calling us on 0800 182 2185 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

What is the Difference Between Raynaud’s and Vibration White Finger?

Posted on 1st February 2021 by Jonathon

Raynaud’s Phenomenon is a common condition that does not usually cause any problems. However, people often confuse it with Vibration White Finger. The difference between Raynaud’s and Vibration White Finger is that VWF is actually a secondary form of Raynaud’s syndrome that is caused by prolonged us of vibrating tools.

Vibration White Finger is also known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). People have developed HAVS as a result of prolonged exposure to intense vibration tools over a long period of time.

The Difference Between Raynaud’s and Vibration White Finger

Vibration White Finger, also known as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is a secondary form of Raynaud’s Phenomenon. It usually affects those who work with, or have worked with, vibrating tools over a long period of time.

There are a few things that can cause confusion between the two conditions. The main reason people think that Raynaud’s and Vibration White Finger are the same condition is because of the two having similar symptoms.

The symptoms of Raynaud’s include:

Pain
Numbness
Pins and needles
Difficulty moving the affected area

The symptoms of Vibration White Finger include:

Whitening or blanching of the fingertips
Numbness and tingling in the fingers or hands
Cysts in finger and wrist bones
Lack of dexterity or grip strength
Loss of sensitivity of touch

The two conditions can also be worse in the cold. Vibration White Finger has the same symptoms as Raynaud’s with added ones on top of it.

Causes of Vibration White Finger

Vibration White Finger is caused by the use of vibrating tools over a long period of time. This can be a part of your job, but if you did not have the adequate protection whilst at work and you have Vibration White Finger, then you may be able to make a claim.

Some of the tools that can give off enough vibration to cause VWF include: jackhammers, grinders, breakers, jigsaws, and hand held power tools. This list is not exhaustive, ad any power tool has the potential to cause VWF.

As people who use power tools for a living will be particularly susceptible to VWF as they are using them on a daily basis for long periods of time, employers have a duty to inform employees of the risks associated with the work and to provide adequate safety equipment, such as vibration-absorbing gloves.

Other ways to help prevent VWF include:

Taking regular breaks from using vibrating tools
Ensuring tools have a regular maintenance schedule and are in good order
Undertaking training to ensure you are using tools in the correct way

What to do if you think you have Vibration White Finger

If you think you may have Vibration White Finger, the first thing you should do is make an appointment with your GP to get a diagnosis of the condition. The next thing you should do is make a note of the companies you worked for and how long you worked at each one, the tools you used and the average amount of time you used them per day. This information will help you if you wish to make a claim for VWF.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of industrial disease claims. This includes Vibration White Finger. Contact us today by filling in out contact form or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Most Common Accidents at Work: Retail

Posted on 21st January 2021 by Jonathon

The retail industry is one of the major industries in the UK, employing around 3 million people. As with any industry, retail accidents are a risk factor that many employees face. However, if their employer is not taking care to do all they can to stop accidents at work, then they may be at fault if an employee has an accident.

Causes of Retail Accidents

There are two main causes of retail accidents at work. These are: slips, trips and falls and manual handling.

Slips trips and falls are the most common cause of any accident at work. According to the Health and Safety Executive, these accidents account for around 40% of all reported accidents in the retail industry. They can happen because of spillages, wet floors, uneven flooring, equipment or stock on the floor, damaged flooring, and much more.

There are a number of health and safety guidelines that your employer must follow to stop accidents like this happening.

Manual handling accidents often happen due to inaccurate or inadequate training. If someone does not have the proper training to lift stock or deliveries and they injure themselves whilst doing so, then their employer may be responsible. There are health and safety rules which employers must follow to minimise the risk of these accidents happening.

Your Employer’s Responsibility

Employers must make sure that they do everything in their power to make sure their employees do not have any accidents whilst working. There are health and safety guidelines that they must follow to do this. These guidelines include the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Employers must also ensure that they carry out regular risk assessments. These risk assessments cover both working practice and working environment. For example, risk assessments must be carried out on any carpeted areas at work to ensure that they are not damaged and safe to walk on. They must also carry out risk assessments for how the employees work, such as lifting and handling assessments. This ensures that employees are trained safely on how to do their jobs.

If employers fail to carry out these risk assessments and an employee has an accident, then they may be to blame for the accident.

Claiming Against Your Employer

When you make a claim against your employer for an accident at work, the claim comes from an insurance policy. This is known as Employer’s Liability Insurance. All employers in the United Kingdom must have this insurance. It protects them when accidents happen, as the compensation comes from the insurance. Therefore, it is the insurance company that pays the compensation; it does not come directly out of your employer’s pocket.

How We Can Help with Retail Accidents

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes retail accidents at work. Contact us by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 0800 182 2187 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Most Common Accidents at Work: Warehousing

Posted on 14th January 2021 by Jonathon

There are many different industries where accidents at work can happen. In fact, accidents can happen in any workplace. However, there are some industries where accidents at work are more common. One of these industries is warehousing. Statistics show that warehousing accidents are amongst the most common accidents at work.

Warehousing Accidents

Warehousing accidents are very common. In the warehousing industry, there were over 23,000 injuries at work in 2019/20 according to the Health and Safety Executive. There are some injuries that are more common than others, with lifting and handling accidents being the most common. These injuries accommodated for 19% of injuries to workers in warehouses in 2019/20.

Lifting and Handling

Lifting and handling accounted for the most accidents to warehouse staff. When you are lifting and handling at work, your manager must make sure that they are following the manual handling safety rules. This is to minimise the risks of accidents at work, and keep employees safe. One of the biggest aspects of the manual handling regulations is carrying out risk assessments.

Hit by Moving Vehicle/ Falling Objects

The other two main areas of accident at work that are common in the warehouse industry are being hit by a moving vehicle, and being hit by falling objects. These accidents happen a lot due to reckless driving and lack of training on forklift trucks. Only people who have had the correct training should use forklift trucks. Accidents that involve falling objects usually happen because of poor stacking and loading of items.

Your Employers Responsibility

It is your employer’s responsibility to ensure you are safe at work. This means that they must follow correct health and safety guidelines to minimise the risk of accidents and to keep all their employees safe. They must carry out adequate and frequent risk assessments on the machinery and equipment, and make sure that staff training is always up to date.

If you are a temporary or agency worker, your employer has as much of a duty to protect you as a full time, permanent employee. This means they must also ensure that your training is adequate and correct before you do the job. They must also ensure they maintain this training.

If your employer does not follow the correct health and safety guidelines, such as the Manual Handling Regulations and the Health and Safety at work regulations, and you have an accident whilst at work, then you may be able to make a claim. All employers must have Employer’s Liability insurance. This covers the business in case accidents at work happen. If you have had an accident and make a claim, then it is the insurance that pays the compensation.

How We Can Help with Warehousing Accidents

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes accidents at work. Contact us by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 0800 182 2187 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisor.

Reporting Your Accident

Posted on 21st December 2020 by Jonathon

No matter the type of accident you have, reporting your accident is important. It is important for a number of reasons, including for proof of your accident happening. Other reasons include: so the other party knows the accident happened, loss of earnings due to taking time off work, medical reasons, and to ensure it does not happen again.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) more than 14,000 people die as a result of accidents every year, with thousands more having injuries.

Reporting Your Accident at Work

If you have an accident at work, it is important to report the accident to your employer. In workplaces where there is an accident book, you must make sure you log the accident in there. If not, you must report the accident verbally to a manager or supervisor.

When reporting your accident at work, it is important to note down the date and time of the accident, the cause of the accident, whether there were any witnesses, the treatment you had, and the amount of time you had to take off work.

Reporting Your Accident in a Public Place

Having an accident in a public place may mean that there are a few people that you need to think about when reporting your accident. If you fell in a shop, you need to report your accident to the shop owner or manager. Most shops will also have an accident book or form, so it is important to fill that in too.

If you have an accident on the street, for example, a trip on the pavement, then you will need to report your accident to the council. However, if the council have sent you a claims form, it is important that you do not fill that in and send back if you would like to make a personal injury claim. Nevertheless, the council does need to know about any defects in pavements or roads, so it is still important to report your accident.

Reporting Your Accident on the Road

If you have an accident on the road, for example, a road traffic accident, there are a couple of people you may need to think about reporting your accident to. You must report the accident to your insurance, and take the details of the other person involved in the accident. This is usually their name, registration number and insurance details.

You may also need to report your accident to the police. This is almost always the case in road traffic accidents, as the police are usually called to the scene. If they are not, it is still important to report your accident to them.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience in dealing with all types of personal injury claims. This includes accidents at work, accidents in public places, and accidents on the road. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Delivery Drivers Work Accidents

Posted on 14th December 2020 by Jonathon

The festive season is no doubt the busiest time of year for delivery drivers, and this year they are busier than ever. With everyone staying at home, and online shopping increasing, the extra work may mean that delivery drivers have more work accidents.

The Christmas rush means that there will be more delivery drivers on roads. There are many work accidents that delivery drivers can face, from road traffic accidents to manual handling accidents, and even accidents on customer’s property.

Manual Handling Accidents

One of the biggest causes of work accidents to delivery drivers is manual handling accidents. They often happen due to inadequate or incorrect training. They could also happen due to vans being overloaded.

Employers must ensure that all their staff have the correct training to do manual handling work. If you have had inadequate or incorrect training, your employer may be at fault for your accident. The most common injuries from manual handling accidents are back injuries, according to the Health and Safety Executive.

Your employer must follow the rules set out in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. This reduces the chances of accidents happening and is designed to protect staff.

Road Traffic Accidents

Having a road traffic accident at any time is bad but having one whilst you are working is even worse. The main cause of road traffic accidents is careless driving. If you have a road traffic accident whilst at work, you must make sure you report the accident to your employer as well as getting the details of the other driver and, if necessary, contacting the police.

Work Accidents whilst delivering

Another work accident that a delivery driver may have is an accident on the property where they are delivering. This could be a slip, trip or fall, a manual handling accident, or even a dog bite. There are various people who may be at fault if you have an accident on the property of the place you are delivering to.

If it is a business, then it is the business owner who may be at fault. This is especially true if you tripped on uneven paving. In this case, the blame could also fall with the local council, so it is important to take pictures of the defect.

If you are injured at someone’s house, and the person you are making the delivery to owns their property, it is the homeowner who may be at fault. There are certain specifics depending on the accident if it may be the homeowner who is at fault. These include insurance and ability to pay.

It is always important to report the accident to your employer. This is also true if you had the accident whilst you were out doing your deliveries.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes accidents at work. So contact us today by filling in our contact form, or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors.

Accidents at Work at Christmas

Posted on 3rd December 2020 by Jonathon

Accidents at work are always common, however, during the lead up to Christmas, they tend to increase. This is mainly due to increased workloads for staff during the festive season. It can also be due to staff not having adequate training, understaffing, and higher expectations.

It is the responsibility of your employer to ensure that they keep you safe at work. This is especially important during the festive season because of the increased workloads. If you have had an accident at work, and it was due to the fault of someone else, then you may be able to claim compensation.

Accidents at Work at Christmas

There are some industries where accidents at work are more likely to happen during the festive period, due to the increased workload. These industries include warehousing and retail.

Manual handling accidents are some of the most common accidents that happen in the workplace. They occur when someone is lifting, pulling, putting down, and moving objects by hand. The injuries from manual handling accidents can be serious, ranging from muscle injuries, to more serious musculoskeletal disorders that can become life-long injuries. These injuries may also worsen, causing you pain and discomfort for a long time.

The increased workload at Christmas means that the likelihood of these accidents happening increases further, as staff have more pressure put on them to work harder.

In retail, the increase in the number of customers in stores can be a hazard, as well as the increased need to replenish stock. If you have an accident because you are unable to replenish stock safely, then it may be something we can help with.

Your Employer’s Responsibility

Your employer has a duty of care to ensure you are kept safe at work. There are rules they must follow. These rules are set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Ultimately, your employer must make sure that you are able to do your job safely. This includes making sure there is enough staff to carry out the work, making sure all the staff have the correct training, and making sure that jobs are safe for the staff to do.

With the added pressure on workers to get everything ready for Christmas, it is even more important for employers to make sure the staff are not injured whilst at work.

You may feel uncomfortable claiming against your employer. However, all companies are required to have Employer’s Liability Insurance. This insurance would be used to pay your compensation if you are able to claim.

Accidents at Work at Christmas: Temporary Staff

If you are working under a temporary contract, be that through the company or an agency, and you have an accident, you may think that you may not be able to claim. That is not true. Employers have the exact same duty of care to agency and temporary staff that they have to full time workers. This means that they must have the same rules for all. So they must ensure that temporary staff can perform the job safely too.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of compensation claims. This includes accidents at work. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Disability and Work Injuries

Posted on 16th November 2020 by Jonathon

The Disability Discrimination Act was passed 25 years ago this year, and with it came a new set of rights for disabled people across the UK. It has since evolved into the Equality Act, but many of the same fundamentals apply. Yet there is still a link between accidents at work, disability and work injuries.

The Act works to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. It was made in 1995, and was replaced with The Equality Act in 2010.

Yet there are still obstacles that disabled people face in the workplace. These obstacles can include employer negligence, which can lead to accidents at work.

Disability and Accidents at Work

The main issue involving disability and work injuries is accidents at work. There are many different accidents that a person can have at work. Your employer has a duty of care to make sure that you are safe and do not have any accidents that cause injury whilst at work. If they fail in their duty of care, then you may be able to claim compensation. An example of this is if an employer fails to make sure you have all the help you need to lift something safely. In this case, you may be able to make a claim.

Employers have even more of a duty of care to disabled employees to ensure they are kept safe at work, especially if the disabled employee is a vulnerable person. So, if an accident occurs which causes injury, then there may be even more grounds to make a claim.

Accidents at Work that Can Cause Disability

There are some kinds of accident at work that can leave the employee with a disability. These types of accident are prevalent in the construction and manufacturing industry, where there is a lot of working at height.

Falling from height is one of the most common causes of accidents that lead to disability at work. The further a person is working from the ground, the more they are at risk. This means that their working conditions are also more dangerous. Employers must follow the rules set out in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and must ensure that they carry out regular risk assessments of the job the employees are doing, and the equipment they are using.

Other types of accidents at work that can cause disability include construction site accidents, factory accidents, defective machinery accidents, and chemical burns. There is a risk of accidents at work leaving someone with a disability in any industry, but these are more common ones.

How we Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with compensation claims. This includes accidents at work and work-related stress claims. If you have experienced either of these in the last three years, then contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors.

COVID-19 at work, the new rules, and you

Posted on 3rd August 2020 by Jonathon

With new government advice surrounding getting more people back into work coming into place at the beginning of August, the risk of accidents at work will become more important to us all. Coupled with the fact that workplaces will need to add more health and safety measures to ensure we are all kept safe from COVID-19 at work, employers have even more of a responsibility to make sure we are all kept safe at work, and with the added pressure of having to play catch up for a number of businesses, the risk of accidents could actually be heightened whilst this happens.

Workplaces must be kept safe for workers now more than ever. There have been extra health and safety measures put in place in work spaces up and down the country, including adding more PPE for staff, making sure that everything is kept clean and sanitised for everyone’s safety, and extra risk assessments being carried out, but, unfortunately, these extra health and safety measures can not guarantee that accidents at work won’t happen.

The new rules surrounding workplace safety, whilst similar, can also differ based on what industry you work in, for example, offices and building sites have different rules, but can both still present their own risks of accidents, even with everyone adhering to the social distancing rules. The new rules also, unfortunately, may not stop the usual accidents at work happening either, and so, as much as we are responsible for keeping ourselves safe, it is the same, if not even more, for our employers to ensure we are kept safe and well, as they have a duty of care to all of their employees.

Additionally, with all the new guidance surrounding working safely and getting people back into work, combined with increased workloads for staff returning, there may also be a rise in people feeling stressed at work. Stress at work is already something that a lot of people suffer with, and, due to increased job pressures post-lockdown, this will no doubt get worse for people who are suffering. We can also help if you feel you are suffering from an added sense of stress at work, for further information on stress at work claims contact us today.

So, what happens if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident whilst at work?

Here at The Compensation Experts, we are well placed to give you all the help you need. We work with solicitors who deal with accidents at work all the time, so we have a wealth of experience dealing with them. Contact us today to see if we can help you with a potential accident at work claim.

PPE and your employer’s duty of care

Posted on 17th March 2020 by Jonathon

Regardless of where you work, your employer has a legal duty of care to ensure that you are safe while carrying out your duties. As part of this, they are required to do everything reasonably possible to remove or minimise any dangers or risks you may face while working for them.

In particularly high risk industries, such as the construction sector or factories that use heavy machinery, this includes providing you with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where needed, which has to be provided at no cost to you. There are many different types of PPE and the type of PPE necessary at a place of work will vary. To determine what PPE you will need in order to carry out your duties safely, a risk assessment has to be done as it is a legal requirement. The most commonly encountered items of PPE are:

Safety helmet
Eye protection
High-visibility clothing (hi-vis)
Ear defenders
Protective gloves
Steel toe-capped/non-slip boots
Harnesses for working at heights.

The list is not exhaustive, but many workplaces will require their workers to wear at least one of these items during the course of their duties. Although some items can be expensive, your employer must provide you with these items should a risk assessment require them. It is also important that employers regularly reassess their workplaces and the risks involved in the duties they are asking their employees to carry out. In addition, employers are also required to;

Ensure that all PPE is stored correctly and not damaged
All PPE is adjustable or able to fit the user
The correct PPE items are used for the correct task
Ensure that adequate training is provided to employees on how to use PPE.

The cultural shift towards more risk-averse workplaces that are fully mindful of all relevant health and safety legislation, such as the Factories Act 1960, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all subsequent updates, has seen a significant drop in workplace-related injuries over the last thirty years. Even where employers have done everything required of them though, there still remains an element of risk in most, if not all, workplaces.

How we can help

Your employer’s duty of care is a legal one. If you have been injured in your workplace and feel that your employer has failed to carry out to provide you with the correct protective equipment or hasn’t shown you how to use it properly, you might be eligible to make a compensation claim as a result.

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist law firms who have a track record making successful workplace injury compensation claims. After your initial consultation with one of our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.