Workplace illness and injury is common and often occurs as a direct result of an employee’s job role. Injuries suffered at work can range from minor bruises up to the most serious of brain injuries or spinal injuries. There are a number of circumstances under which an accident or illness can arise in the workplace, and can happen in all lines of work from offices to factories, bars and restaurants. Regardless of what kind of business you have, as an employer, you are under an obligation to ensure the safety of employees as far as possible.
You must be aware of potential risks to health and safety and take measures to prevent these risks. Where you fail to ensure adequately the safety of employees you are leaving yourself open to potential personal injury claims which can be damaging to both the reputation and finances of your business. This post looks at the most common types of injuries in the workplace and the preventative measures you can take to avoid them, and the subsequent personal injury claims.
In this contribution, Accident Claims Web (www.accidentclaimsweb.co.uk) sets out some of the most common workplace accidents in the UK and some of the main ways to avoid them.
Most Common Workplace Accidents, UK
Accidents in the workplace typically arise as a result of lack of safety measures, lack of training or lack of knowledge about hazards and potential injuries. All of these issues can be easily addressed by employers. The most common types of workplace injuries and how to prevent them are listed below.
Slips, trips and falls – These kinds of accidents can occur where there is a spillage, flooring is uneven, improper signposting, or there are hazards such as cables. These kinds of claims can be very serious, with many brain injuries and spinal injuries occurring as a result of a slip, trip or fall. There are many other circumstances under which a slip, trip or fall may occur however there are measures that employers can take to reduce the risk. Proper training procedures on dealing with spillages should be introduced including the obligation always to use a wet floor sign. Proper maintenance of the work premise should also be a requirement including ensuring flooring is even and that all work areas are free from tripping hazards as far as possible.
Burns – Burns in the workplace can come from kitchen equipment, factory equipment and commonly, chemicals. Burns are most common in the beauty industry, hospitality and industrial environments. However, they can occur in any workplace. Employers should make sure staff are properly trained in any environment where a burn is a hazard and also make sure staff are provided with adequate protective wear for carrying out their role. Also, proper signage should be used to indicate hazards.
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) – RSI affects mainly office workers using keyboards but can also affect any worker who carries out a task that involves continuous repetitive motion. An easy way to prevent these types of injuries is to ensure employees take regular breaks and take preventative exercises such as stretching joints and muscles.
Cuts – Cuts most commonly occur where employees are using machinery or equipment without proper safety wear or training. Employers can reduce the risk of these kinds of injuries by producing protective gloves and other industrial wear, and also ensuring all employees are properly trained in using the equipment.
Employee Personal Injury Claims
Employers are responsible for ensuring health and safety measures are taken in the workplace. As an employer, you must protect your employees from illness and injury in the workplace, and where you fail to do so, you could be liable for a personal injury claim. Payouts for the most serious types of injuries such as brain injuries or spinal injuries can cost your business hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation, as well as business reputation.
To find out more or to instruct a personal injury lawyer to pursue or defend an accident at work claim visit: http://www.accidentclaimsweb.co.uk/accident-at-work-claim