Accidents at Work

What is an accident at work?

If you have been injured at work as a result of your employer’s failure to comply with their duties, and someone else was to blame, you may have a claim for compensation against them.

An employer is under a duty to take reasonable care of his employee’s health and safety whilst they are at work.  This means for example, providing health checks (particularly where employees are engaged in hazardous work), equipment to protect employees from injury, and adequate training.  An employer must exercise due care and skill in three particular areas:

• Competent staff
• Adequate plant
• Safe system of work and safe premises

Regulations

Your employer’s duties come from a variety of health and safety legislation.

Here’s a few of the main examples:

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (covers risk assessments and identifying potential hazards)
• Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (covers not just machinery, but any sort of tool or device you use to carry out your job)
• Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (covers protective clothing)
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (covers lifting and carrying)
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (covers the environment in which you work, including walkways, stairs, windows, temperature and lighting.)

Examples of Accidents at Work

We deal with a whole range of accidents that have occurred in the workplace.  The main types are:

• Falls from height
• Lifting heavy items
• Failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment (such as safety boots, hard hats, goggles, gloves)
• Slips/trips in the workplace
• Dangerous machinery

Eligibility

There are just a few simple requirements we would need to enable us to consider your claim:

• That the accident happened in England or Wales
• That your injury has been recorded in the accident book at work
• That you sought some sort of medical attention

It would also be desirable to have:

• Photos of the defect/your work area
• Details of any witnesses to your accident

Don’t worry if you don’t have these – we can still consider your claim!

Claiming Against Your Employers

We appreciate you will be concerned about making a claim against your employer, especially if you still work for them.  However it’s always worth remembering that your employer will have insurance to cover them in the event of their employees making a claim, and if your claim is successful it is the insurer that will pay out, not your boss!

Personal Injury Enquiry Form