Employers are responsible for ensuring the environment in which people work is safe and that there is minimal risk of injury.
Falls at work cause some of the most serious work-related injuries and the circumstances vary across many different industries ranging from falls from scaffolding or a ladder, falling down a set of stairs or tripping to slipping or falling due to uneven or obstructed walkways. The factors that can cause or contribute to a fall at work including;
• absence of appropriate equipment for working at a height
• lack of correct training or direction
• not having a safe procedure for working at a height
• not recognising the risks from working at height
Health and safety laws such as the Work at Height Regulation 2005, force every employer to take steps in the prevention of employee falls – and are in place to protect such employees. A range of situations are covered by such regulations, from an employee standing on a chair to change a light bulb to working high above ground level in dangerous situations.
In situations where you are injured due to the negligence of your employer in protecting you at work and a fall has taken place you could be entitled to a claim for compensation. Such an accident may have happened due to a lack of adequate safety procedures being in place, faulty equipment or unsuitable or inadequate training. The compensation resulting from such claims can aid claimants in covering things such as loss of earnings as well as the medical costs incurred both during and after care.
Employees should not worry that they could lose their job if they make a claim against their employer – as it is standard practice for an employer to have insurance in place to cover any situations in which compensation is awarded, plus the fact that any employer sacking an employee for making a compensation claim for any injury suffered at work could automatically make themselves at risk of a further claim – this time for compensation for unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal.
In all cases it is vital to remember that emphasising health and safety problems at work as early as possible could prevent others from becoming injured in the future and could guarantee that procedures are improved.
As specialist personal injury compensation lawyers, we can direct you on whether you have sufficient grounds to make a claim, and we can answer any questions you may have about how to claim compensation.
Thinking of making compensation claim for a fall at work
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