The most common type of accidents in the workplace continue to be slips, trips and falls. Although these terms sound very similar and may seem like they have been grouped together because of this, they are in fact quite different from each other and protecting you from injuries caused by slips, trips and falls is part of your employer’s legal duty of care to you under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act and other relevant legislation.
Slips
In terms of the workplace environment, a ‘slip’ is defined as any time your feet lose grip on the surface you are either standing or walking on. This may be due to the floor being wet, because it has recently been polished or because a rug hasn’t been securely fixed to the ground.
An example of when this would stray into the territory of your employer breaching their duty of care to you would be if the cleaning staff mopped the floor but then failed to leave out the correct warning signage and you then slipped on the wet floor and harm yourself. In this instance, your employer would be at fault for failing to ensure the cleaning staff had done their job correctly and you would potentially be able to claim compensation from your employer for any loss of earnings you suffered while having to take time off work in order to recover.
Trips
In terms of the workplace, a ‘trip’ usually happens when you are walking on an uneven surface or if the lighting in part of your workplace isn’t bright enough for you to see items that are large enough for you to trip over.
If your workplace has a cluttered floor and, for whatever reason, you trip over and injure yourself, this would be an example of a trip in the workplace your employer would be liable for.
Falls
While the term ‘fall’ usually makes us think of a fall from a great height, that is not always the case in the workplace. For example, you may simply be using a small stepladder to help a colleague hang something on the office wall. If the stepladder is faulty though, you or your colleague may incur an injury as a result. While this may seem inconsequential, it is worth remembering that even a fall from a few inches can cause nasty injuries.
How we can help
Slips, trips and falls are still the most common form of workplace injury and, only by following Health and Safety guidelines, will the number of incidents start to come down.
However, if you find yourself injured because of one of the above types of accidents, be sure to speak to a recognised personal injury solicitor at the earliest opportunity.
At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist law firms who have a track record making successful workplace injury compensation claims. We and the firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with 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.
If you decide to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.
Do not hesitate then to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.