We spend a large part of our lives at work, however we do not expect to be injured there. No matter what your job involves, or whether you are working as a full-time or part-time employee, or as a temporary worker, your employer has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety at work. A workplace accident is very rarely intended, but it can often be avoided or prevented through simple compliance with health and safety regulations. If an employer has carelessly neglected their legal responsibilities and your health and wellbeing have been compromised as a result, contact our personal injury team to establish whether you are entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim.
The type of injury suffered will depend on your working environment and the specific requirements of your job. Our personal injury solicitors have successfully represented employees who have suffered workplace injuries in the following circumstances:
- Factory, warehouse and shop floor accidents. Working in environments where there are workplace hazards, including equipment, vehicles, boxes and storage structures, can be challenging. For example, shop workers can be required to lift, carry, move, load and unload heavy items of stock or equipment making them more susceptible to back injuries, muscle damage, broken bones and other serious injuries. You may have suffered a slip, trip or fall, or experienced a repetitive strain injury if your employer has failed to comply with the Manual Handling Regulations or other health and safety requirements designed to ensure safe working environments for employees.
- Construction site and trade-related accidents. Accidents and injuries in the construction and trade industries can occur as a result of a falling from a height, an unsupported ladder or scaffolding, vehicle accidents, defective equipment, tripping hazards, excessive noise, falling objects or through exposure to harmful chemicals or noxious substances. Although there are strict safety rules and good working practices that are required to be followed by employers, accidents on construction sites and in trade-related industries, such as painting and decorating, can still happen. If your employer has failed to put in place the appropriate risk assessments or has failed to provide the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), you should seek legal advice from our expert personal injury solicitors.
- Office-based accidents. Although an office may seem inherently less hazardous when compared with a construction site or factory, office-based injuries are increasingly common. Office-based injuries can arise as a result of heavy lifting of office equipment, stress and overwork, poor workstation setup, or a slip, trip or fall on a wet floor, unsecured carpet or because of dangling wires and cables. Office workers can also suffer from repetitive strain injuries, causing migraines, eye problems, muscle soreness and persistent discomfort, fatigue and pain. Poor working environments, improper workspace organisation and setup, and failure to provide health and safety training often cause office-based injuries.
- Agricultural, fishing and forestry accidents. Working outdoors, exposed to the elements can be challenging, however working with complex equipment in environments that are inherently changeable and unpredictable means that accidents in agricultural, forestry and fishing environments are frequent and often severe in nature. Injuries can arise when employees are struck by farm vehicles, trapped by the collapse of a structure, struck by falling objects, attacked by an animal, exposed to chemicals or materials including asbestos, electrocuted or wounded by dangerous machinery. Your employer should be carrying out a risk assessment of the tasks you are undertaking and providing safety equipment and guidance on good working practices to mitigate the possibility of injury or accidents arising.
