As the festive season continues, the amount of work in warehouses also ramps up. Warehouses are busier than ever during the Christmas period, especially since the rise in popularity of online shopping. However, with the extra work comes extra risk; therefore, Christmas season accidents at work in warehouses may increase.
Accidents at Work in Warehouses
Accidents at work in warehouses 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.
The main causes of accidents at work in warehouses are:
- Slips and trips
- Manual handling
- Work at height
- Vehicles in and around the warehouse
- Moving or falling objects
Lifting and handling accounted for the most accidents to warehouse staff. This is especially true at Christmas when the workload is higher. 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.
The other main areas of accident at work that are common in the warehouse industry are being hit by a moving vehicle, being hit by falling objects, slips and trips and falling from height. Your employer can help prevent these types of accidents by following correct procedures and policies.
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.
During the Christmas period, employers can also prevent accidents at work happening by ensuring that they have enough staff to manage the increase in workload effectively.
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
Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes accidents at work in warehouses. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts.