Health and safety at work are extremely important and the legislation should be followed by employees and employers alike. You employer has a duty of care towards you to ensure that you have a safe workplace free of risks and health hazards. Although unlikely your first thought, claiming for injury at work can help to address any financial needs you may incur.
Our No Win, No Fee policy ensures that you don’t need to worry about your financial situation should your claim happen to be unsuccessful.
Industry Deafness
In 2005, the Control of Noise at Work Regulation was introduced to ensure workers are protected from high levels of noise. Your employer is legally required to provide adequate ear protection equipment and training for noises louder than 80dB that can’t be avoided.
Exposure to high noise levels can cause several temporary or permanent symptoms:
- Complete lack of hearing on one or both ears.
- Acoustic trauma (quick type of deafness due to extremely loud noises at close range).
- Tinnitus (constant ticking, buzzing, hissing, or ringing noises).
The amount of compensation that you can be awarded will depend on whether you have tinnitus or not, the level of hearing loss, if you now have a disability, and if you need treatment or hearing aids.
Falls from Height
Falling from a height often results in fatal or life-changing injuries, which can cause emotional distress and financial strains. Employers have a duty to ensure your safety when working at a height, which includes providing the proper equipment and training, alongside:
- Strong and sturdy scaffolding.
- Workplace free of slipping and tripping hazards.
- Appropriate PPE needs to be provided (such as harness and hard hat).
Additionally, your employer needs to ensure that your workplace is free from falling hazards, that all materials and equipment are maintained regularly and in good condition, and that your workplace has no wall openings or unprotected sides.
Falling Hazards
Predominant in both manufacturing and construction sectors, falling hazards can result in extremely dangerous head injuries. It’s vital that employers follow legislation and ensure that your workplace is safe, provide training, provide adequate PPE, and conduct regular risk assessments.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
These types of injuries occur when you repeat the same actions for long periods of time every day. Motions such as continuous typing and using a computer mouse repeatedly can place you at a higher risk of developing a repetitive strain injury.
These can range from pain and stiffness in wrists, hands, arms, fingers, shoulders, and neck, occurring quite frequently. Other symptoms such as pain, throbbing, tightness, tingling, numbness, and a dull ache can occur when there is poor posture while conducting high-intensity activities.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Extremely common, slips, trips, and falls can occur when the workplace environment hasn’t been properly assessed for risks. Safety guidelines need to be followed to ensure that there are no debris or spills that can cause a slip and fall.
Wet floors tend to be the major culprits of these accidents at work alongside tripping over debris. Reaction injuries can also be present as you try to catch yourself from falling. A few common injuries from slipping, tripping, and falling are:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Concussion
Overexertion Injuries
Overexertion injuries occur when your body has exceeded its capacity to perform a physical task or when you’re exhausted. You can place yourself at risk of an overexertion injury when you’re fatigued yet still perform actions such as carrying, pushing, lifting, wielding, or holding heavy objects. Overexertion can cause a range of issues, including:
- Muscle strain
- Elbow strain
- Back pain
- Rotator cuff syndrome
- Knee sprain
- Neck pain
If you’ve suffered from an accident at work due to negligence, you can get in touch with our professional team to speak to a work accident solicitor to know if you can claim for compensation. Our expert solicitors have extensive experience with accident at work claims, and we’ll always fight for your best interests.
Give us a call on 01772 562084 or request a callback for a free, no obligation chat.