Pages On: Workplace Injuries

Newcastle father suffers horrendous acid burns

Posted: 1 May 2016

Posted in: Arm Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A 59-year-old father of three from Newcastle has won £210,000 in compensation for acid burns sustained whilst working for a pharmaceutical company. The electrical technician, who has not been named, had just taken over his shift and was disconnecting pipes from a tank containing Bromine, a hazardous acid.  When he decoupled the pipe, residual acid, which should have been drained by his colleague on the previous shift, sprayed on to the worker causing him extensive burns to his limbs and face.  The technician ran immediately to a nearby safety shower to…

Injured road worker awarded £8000 in compensation

Posted: 26 April 2016

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A 35-year-old road worker from Chesterfield was awarded £8,000 in compensation by his employer, Carillion plc, following a serious injury to his ankle.  Dean Ness had been working nightshift on an unlit stretch of the A52 at Spondon in Derby, placing traffic cones for work about to be commenced on the central reservation.  He jumped out of the truck and twisted his ankle on a kerb that he hadn’t seen in the pitch dark.  It was heard that this employer had been warned on several occasions of the dangers of…

Surrey groundsman receives compensation from employer

Posted: 21 April 2016

Posted in: Knee Injury, Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A 65-year-old council groundsman has been awarded £11,000 by his employer, London Borough of Morden, in an out of court settlement.  John Brown, from Mitcham in Surrey, seriously damaged his right knee after a fall whilst at work, which resulted in surgery and being forced to stop work.  Mr Brown tripped over a piece of concrete that was protruding in a playground in Morden when he was putting his tools away in the park’s shed.  He tore the ligaments in his knee and was unable to walk without a stick…

Worker wins compensation following accident at work

Posted: 12 April 2016

Posted in: Hip Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A 55-year-old retail assistant has received £5,000 in compensation after taking a fall at her place of work. Angela Hurcomb, from Hereford, fell down a spiral staircase at Past Times in her home town, and seriously injured her back.  She had been an employee at the business for seven years, and it had recently relocated to the listed building where the accident occurred.  Mrs Hurcomb was unable to return to her place of work for two months following the injury, and continues to experience considerable pain and discomfort despite extensive physiotherapy…

Prison worker’s landmark victory

Posted: 22 March 2016

Posted in: Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Prison catering manager, Susan Cox, has won her case in the Supreme Court, in what is being described as a ‘landmark’ victory.  The case, which was brought by the Prison Officers’ Association and solicitors acting on Ms Cox’ behalf, will change the legal definition of ‘employee’ and the law around vicarious liability.  Formerly, prisoners working with prison staff were not known as employees.  Since the court ruling, which took place on 2 March 2016, prisoners will be known as ‘employees’.  The claim was upheld following a decision by the Court…

Employer’s ‘duty of care’ in cold weather

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries

When working for an employer, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that working conditions are safe and secure for employees. This is particularly important if the job entails working outside.  Official Health and Safety regulations dictate that employers must provide a ‘duty of care’ towards their staff, including providing adequate protective clothing and equipment. All steps must be taken to protect workers from carrying out duties in inclement weather and thorough training must be provided if equipment is involved. Conditions must be ‘risk assessed’ When carrying out outside work,…

Crane hire company fined over death

Posted: 28 December 2015

Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A crane hire company has been fined after one of its employees was killed in a crash. Baldwins Crane Hire was fined £700,000 after 49-year-old Lindsay Easton was killed while driving a crane at Scout Moor quarry in Lancashire when the brakes failed. The incident happened in 2011, with an investigation finding that several of the crane’s wheel brakes were damaged or inoperable, “providing only limited braking force”. Mr Easton, from Sowerby Bridge in Yorkshire, had been driving the 130-tonne crane on a steep slope before losing control and crashing…

Ministry of Defence flouting safety regulations

Posted: 10 December 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Millions of pounds are being paid out annually to military personnel who are sustaining injuries because the Ministry of Defence is blatantly flouting its own safety rules.  MPs will hear this week how the death of three SAS trainees in the Brecon Beacons in 2013 could have been avoided had the regulations not been routinely ignored. Lawyers specialising in military issues will present evidence that servicemen and women are dying or being maimed each year due to the service refusing to learn from past mistakes. The enquiry being carried out by…

School accidents cost council £137,000

Posted: 2 November 2015

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

Recently released figures have revealed that a council has paid out over £130,000 in compensation as a result of school related injuries. West Berkshire Council has paid out to a total of five claimants since 2013, costing them a total of £137,000. One of the incidents saw a claimant receive £50,499 for a personal injury suffered on the school premises. According to the figures, which were released following a Freedom of Information request, only one payout went to a pupil, with the other four payouts going to teachers and school…

Hospital maintenance staff exposed to asbestos

Posted: 25 October 2015

Posted in: Asbestos Exposure, Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease

A recently released report has found that maintenance staff at a leading cancer hospital, the Christie hospital in Manchester, were exposed to dangerous airborne asbestos levels. Asbestos Contracting Limited (ACL) carried out the review after it was commissioned by the hospital. It made a number of worrying findings, which included the fact that around 20 members of hospital staff were exposed to the toxic fiber. After the review was completed in August, it gave evidence for several failings. It stated that the Christie had failed to comply with Control of…

Injured war veterans’ care costs spark call for funding

Posted: 7 September 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Local authority leaders have called on ministers to do more for injured war veterans who are being forced to spend their compensation on social care. The Local Government Association (LGA) described the way that veterans are being treated differently dependent on when they were injured as an “unfair anomaly”.  Compensation is determined on the following basis: if you were injured on or before 5 April 2005, councils carry out means tests to decide social care payments. However, if you were injured after the 5 April 2005, you are protected. Where…

Asbestos victim wins right to compensation

Posted: 30 July 2015

Posted in: Asbestos Exposure, Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease

Retired electrician Albert Carder has been awarded the right to claim compensation after being exposed to asbestos while working at Exeter University over 20 years ago. Now 85-years-old, it was ruled in the High Court yesterday that Mr Carder could claim compensation after being exposed to the potentially fatal substance between 1980 and 1994. Mr Carder’s barrister, Harry Steinberg, described the case as “quite shocking”. It was heard in London’s High Court that Mr Carder was recently diagnosed with asbestosis. He suffers with chronic respiratory problems, and depends on oxygen…

Soldier wins £275k in compensation

Posted: 20 July 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries

A soldier has been awarded £275,000 in compensation after having cold water thrown over him, triggering a severely debilitating condition. 27-year-old father-of-two Barney Tipping had been one of 26 soldiers who suffered severe heat exhaustion and dehydration during a several-hour march in Kenya in 2007. During the hike, he was told to remove his shirt and a container of cold water was thrown over him – a decision made that goes against Army guidelines. The impact of the cold water sent Mr Tipping into a shock and he was airlifted…

Doctor claims damages from NHS

Posted: 16 July 2015

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Public Transport, Spine & Back Injuries

A doctor from Bristol has claimed damages from the NHS after suffering a “serious spinal injury” on a boat trip seven years ago. Dr Kathleen Feest had been involved in a team building exercise alongside 10 other colleagues when the accident happened.  The party had been on a 9m inflatable boat, called the Celtic Pioneer, which left Cardiff Bay for an hour-long trip to the Bristol Channel. Dr Feest claims that she suffered a severe back injury while on the boat trip in August 2008. She is now suing the…

RAF sergeant forced to pay compensation

Posted: 1 June 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Criminal Injury and Assault, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries

An RAF flight sergeant is being forced to pay compensation to a woman that became injured after the sergeant attempted to jump on a tube station’s escalator handrail. 50-year-old Frans Bekker, from Cardiff, was encouraged by his friends to jump onto the handrail at London’s Holborn station earlier this year. When he lost control, however, he ploughed into three women, including one who suffered an injured vertebra as a result. Mr Bekker admitted to dangerous behaviour in the underground station and offered his sincerest apologies to the three women affected.…

Stress-related illness on the rise for teachers

Posted: 27 May 2015

Posted in: School Accidents, Workplace Injuries

According to a recently released report, the number of teachers in the West Midlands that have been signed off as a result of stress-related illness has risen by almost 300 in 5 years. It was found that one fifth of all teacher and staff absences were due to stress. Ofsted stated that schools needed to be doing more to help teachers and staff with managing their workload. In 2010-11, the region saw 1,322 teaching absences due to stress and depression, compared to 1,596 teachers in 2014-15 – a rise of…

Construction Site Accidents in Birmingham

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

From the expansion of New Street station to the Metro extension, there have been exciting recent developments in local construction. Unfortunately, it can also be extremely dangerous due to the equipment potentially involved and the practical nature of the role. This is why there are additional strict guidelines in place that building and construction firms must follow. Should you be employed in this industry and have the misfortune to be involved in an accident whilst at work, we can help. Here you can read about the specific rules and regulations…

Claim Compensation for Workplace Accidents in Birmingham

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

Working can be stressful at the best of times. But if you trip or fall at work, it can be just as, if not more, taxing and traumatic. It can result in loss of earnings and other additional costs depending on the extremity of the situation. If the accident has occurred due to the fault of another worker or your employer, then you may have a claim for compensation. No Win, No Fee Work Accident Claims When you are thinking about your recent accident, there are two questions to consider…

Lollipop lady receives seven-figure settlement

Posted: 30 January 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries

A lollipop lady from South Shields has been awarded a seven-figure compensation payout after being knocked down on duty. 62-year-old Eleanor Harman suffered a severe brain injury when a car hit her opposite her home in February 2011. The accident left her with extreme disabilities, including difficulties with her memory. She will require around the clock care for the rest of her life. The mother-of-two underwent life-saving surgery after the accident. She was then required to stay in a high-dependency unit for three weeks and spent almost a year in…

Police payout £940,000 in compensation

Posted: 29 December 2014

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries

New figures have revealed that Devon and Cornwall Police have paid out £940,000 in compensation in the space of three years. The figures looked at payouts made between 2010 and 2013, with £847,000 having gone to members of the public, and £91,300 to injured officers. The largest payout was £75,000 to a member of the public following an assault by an officer in 2010. These figures come after it was announced that the force is due to face cuts of £30m over the next four years. The force defended the…

Coal mining museum fined over death

Posted: 18 December 2014

Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Two mining firms and a museum trust have been fined after a man was crushed to death by a dumper truck. 58-year-old Michael Buckingham, from Grimethorpe, had been operating the dumper truck to move waste as part of a £2.7million project to expand the area open to underground tours at the museum. He died in January 2011. The company that supplied the truck, Metal Innovations Ltd, was fined £190,000 after the judge discovered that they had failed to ensure that the vehicle was safe for use.  The contractors, Amalgamated Construction…

Steel firm fined over worker’s amputated toes

Posted: 3 December 2014

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A steel firm has been fined after a worker was crushed by a metal-shaping machine and had to have three toes amputated. The worker, from North Ormesby, had been working with a metal press when it fell onto his foot on 17 March.  His employer, SM Thompson Limited, had allowed these highly dangerous practices to go unchecked for the last decade.  Following a recent investigation, the firm admitted a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) breach and was fined £7,500.  It was also made to pay £1,120 in costs. The 25-year-old…

Injured engineer wins compensation

Posted: 29 November 2014

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Head and Brain Injuries, Neck Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A maintenance engineer who suffered a severe brain injury at work has received ‘significant’ compensation from his former employer.  65-year-old Tom Williams had to have part of his skull removed after he was tasked to remove a pillar from the ceiling of the engineering stores at Manor Bakeries Ltd in Moreton to create a new walkway in the building. Mr Williams fell into a coma after the top section of the structure fell from the ceiling, hitting him on the head. It was heard that Mr Williams’ employers had failed…

Injured worker to receive £10,000 in compensation

Posted: 14 November 2014

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A groundworker from Grimsby is to receive £10,000 in compensation after suffering severe leg injuries while working at a school in 2013.  49-year-old Jamie North had been working on the construction of a new school, which required the installation of pre-cast concrete driven foundation piles.  When trying to drive these into the ground, the machinery was not strong enough, causing one of the piles to twist and fall onto Mr North. Mr North required two major operations following the incident, including a steel frame and screws fixed onto his leg. …

Postman dog attack

Posted: 31 October 2014

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Arm Injury, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Despite attacking and seriously injuring a postman, a dog has been saved from destruction. The German Shepherd attacked the postman in the front garden of a Derbyshire home earlier this year. Nine-year-old Tyson sunk his teeth into the postman as he tried to hand mail to the dog’s owner Unjum Bala. The accident happened on the 11 June at around 1pm.  Prosecuting George Speed said that the postman saw the dog coming so turned away from the open door.  The dog then started to bite him in the back of…

Police force pays out £135,000 in personal injury compensation

Posted: 28 October 2014

Posted in: Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A total of £135,000 has been paid out to 27 Staffordshire Police officers between 2009 and 2013.  These figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act, which showed the largest payout to have gone to an officer for slipping on an ‘untreated’ surface – he received just under £15,000 in compensation. One former officer described the figures as “embarrassing”, saying that police officers are simply “jumping on the bandwagon” during this time of a growing ‘compensation culture’.  The police force, however, defended the figures, saying that they have a…

Factory worker wins compensation

Posted: 2 October 2014

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A factory worker from Gloucester has been awarded accident compensation after he suffered a serious wrist injury while working with old pipework.  53-year-old Oil Tank Supplies Limited worker, Terry Behan, received £12,000 in compensation after the company admitted to breaching the health and safety at work act. Mr Behan had been replacing old pipework on an oil tank when the accident happened. After he removed the old piping, him and another colleague realised that they had been provided with the wrong metal rings to connect the new piping.  Because of…

Scaffolder in court over worker’s fractured skull

Posted: 29 August 2014

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A scaffolder is to receive a four-month prison sentence after his faulty equipment seriously injured a worker. 27-year-old Mark Jones, from Darlaston, had been operating a ‘gin wheel’ (a metal pulley wheel) when it fell seven meters from the scaffold and struck him on the head, fracturing his skull. Mr Jones had been working for a subcontractor on site when the accident happened.  He had been installing lead flashing on a school roof using lifting equipment installed by Christopher Alan Harvey.  It was heard that Mr Jones had been loading…

Gas explosion leaves man critically injured

Posted: 20 August 2014

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

A gas explosion in a Cambridgeshire village has left a man seriously injured.  The incident happened at a potato supply company in Chittering, with questions still to be answered on what actually caused the explosion. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were contacted with reports of an explosion at The Produce Connection Ltd on Ely Road, Chittering. They arrived at the site at around 08:50 yesterday. Two East of England Ambulance Service crews were sent to the supply company’s site, where one man had to be taken to hospital.  A spokesperson…

Injured veterans face compensation delays

Posted: 8 August 2014

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

With tens of thousands of armed forces veterans claiming for compensation every year, the Ministry of Defence has admitted that they face delays in having their compensation claims dealt with. MoD figures found that there were a total of 36,000 new compensation claims made by armed forces veterans between 2013-14, an increase of 16% since 2010-11. One injured armed forces veteran group raised the argument that claimants now had to wait for 219 days to have their claim dealt with, in comparison to 82 days recorded in 2010.  However, Veterans UK…

Compensation cost police force tens of thousands

Posted: 28 July 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Foot Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

New figures have revealed that in the last year alone, Humberside Police force have paid out tens of thousands of pounds in compensation for workplace injuries. Since May of last year, a total of 13 employees won compensation for various accidents and injuries.  Humberside Police paid out a total of £55,270 to these claimants. The biggest individual payout went to an officer who developed a back condition as a result of sitting on a faulty office chair.  They won £16,000 in damages, but the force had to pay an extra £28,444…

Bolton pays out more than expected

Posted: 25 July 2014

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries

New figures have found that Bolton Council has paid out more compensation to injured school pupils than first expected.  It was reported in April that a total of 16 claims had been made as a result of playground injuries, each receiving a share of £150,000.  However, recent figures have revealed this not to be the case, as the figure did not account for injured school staff and visitors.  This led to a far larger compensation figure paid out by the council.  The new figures found there to have been an…

Compensation to teachers doubled in four years

Posted: 3 May 2014

Posted in: School Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

New figures have revealed that the compensation paid out to injured teachers has doubled over the last four years. With £40million paid out to injured teachers last year alone, some argue that money is being wasted where it could be better spent on teachers and classroom equipment.  The finding that many claims are being awarded simply to prevent the costs from escalating only worsened this dispute. Successful personal injury claims included payouts of thousands of pounds for slipping in wet corridors, tripping into potholes and falling on uneven paving slabs.…

Teacher wins £100,000 for injuries suffered breaking-up fight

Posted: 7 April 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Finger Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries

A Birmingham teacher has been awarded over £100,000 in compensation after suffering injuries from breaking-up a playground fight.  Figures released under a Freedom of Information Act request found that a total of £1m had been paid-out by the council to school-related claims over the last five years.  The teacher, who remains unidentified, received a total of £113,905 for the injuries he suffered putting an end to a playground fight earlier in the school year. The Freedom of Information Act request found that many of the compensation packages paid-out by the…

Police have claimed £85million in compensation

Posted: 16 March 2014

Posted in: Finger Injuries, Hip Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

Following a Freedom of Information request made by The Sun newspaper, figures have revealed that Police officers have claimed £85million in compensation for injuries at work. Accidents ranged from falling in potholes to insect bites, with one individual alone receiving £130,000 for falling and breaking his hip in a store room while on duty.  The figure is a total of all personal injury claims made between 2008 and 2013. Critics have highlighted that some of the claims should not have been accepted, with Jonathan Isaby from The Taxpayer’s Alliance saying:…

Guitarist wins £6,500 compensation

Posted: 27 February 2014

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A 23-year-old guitarist has won £6,500 in compensation after being electrocuted while sound checking for a band aboard a P&O ferry. Dominic Zyntek from Coventry suffered a two-minute long electric shock after plugging in his guitar aboard the Pride of Hull ship in November 2012.  Mr Zyntek was a musician who covered numerous bands but now works in Sainsburys while trying to work on his own music.  Mr Zyntek sustained extreme burns on his hand as a result of the electric shock.  Emergency services were contacted immediately after the accident…

Stained glass restorer fined over lead poisoning

Posted: 7 February 2014

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Workplace Injuries

The owner of Lincolnshire Stained Glass has been fined after one of his employees was found to have five times the normal amount of lead in his blood.  Employee David Doherty, from Lancashire, had been working for the specialist stained glass company for five years before doctors diagnosed him with lead poisoning.  An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that none of the employees were protected from the dangers of lead poisoning. Mr Doherty said that he had been experiencing waves of nausea, a lost…

Esso fined for sailor death

Posted: 17 December 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Esso has been fined £100,000 after a member of staff was crushed to death under a fuel hose, an accident described as “wholly avoidable”. The company has admitted to health and safety failings and has been ordered to pay an additional £50,000 in costs.  40-year-old Juan Romero died in August 2008 when a corroded bolt gave way, allowing a pipe and its crane to fall and crush the worker at Fawley marine terminal in Southampton. The seaman, originally from Honduras, had been working on board the docked ship when the accident…

Health workers increasingly assaulted

Posted: 6 December 2013

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Workplace Injuries

New figures have revealed a worrying increase in health workers being assaulted by patients with 2012/13 seeing over 2,000 instances of assault in the West Midlands alone.  The figures have been described as “concerning” by the Royal College of Nursing, saying that the protection of staff is in the hands of the employer and that they “must do more”. NHS Protect uncovered the figures earlier this week, which show an increase from 2011/12 figures. Only 1,900 patient assaults on health workers were recorded in 2011/12, in comparison to the figure…

Opening of sports complex for injured troops

Posted: 22 November 2013

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Workplace Injuries

With money raised from the Royal Marines Association, a £100,000 sports complex is due to open in Birmingham for wounded troops and their families. The facilities will allow wounded soldiers to recover from injuries, while benefiting from sports therapy with the help of their families.  The complex is to open on the grounds of Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital where ex-marine Mark Ormond – the first triple amputee to return from Afghanistan – will cut the ribbon. The facilities will include golf, basketball and tennis equipment, allowing injured troops to ease…

Car firm fined following a death at Cheshire plant

Posted: 14 August 2013

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A Vauxhall parent company has been fined £150,000 for their failure to comply with health and safety regulations – resulting in the tragic death of a member of their staff.  Ian Heard (59) was crushed to death at the Cheshire car plant in July 2010 after having worked for the company for 43 years. Mr. Heard was caught in the machinery when working in the Ellesmere-based plant three years ago.  Mr. Heard, originally from Birkenhead, was taken to a hospital in Chester, where he died eleven days after the accident. …

Armed Forces Injury Compensation

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Workplace Injuries

You may be surprised to learn that if you have suffered an injury whilst serving in the armed forces then you may be entitled to bring a claim for compensation. You may be even more surprised to learn that you can bring a claim even if you have not been injured in combat. As with all workplaces, employers have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees and the Ministry of Defence is no different. This means that the Ministry of Defence is responsible for ensuring…

Enterprise Bill ‘grossly unfair’ to injured workers

Posted: 18 April 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

A Government proposal which would undermine the rights of injured workers returned to the House of Commons on 16th April, after being thrown out by the House of Lords. The Government plan will put the burden of proving an employer has caused needless injury or death back onto the victim, says the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). This tilts the playing field in favour of negligent bosses, who hold all the cards, and against vulnerable workers, who hold none. The employer always has the upper hand – he controls…

Foundry in court after worker suffers multiple injuries

Posted: 9 April 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Foot Injuries, Hip Injuries, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A Derbyshire foundry has been fined after an employee suffered multiple injuries when he was hit by a steel bar weighing 1.6 tonnes. The 61-year-old from Dronfield was working at the foundry when the nine-metre long bar, and the steel barrow it was travelling on, fell as it was being pushed from one part of the site to another by a tow truck. He broke both legs and his pelvis, crushed his right foot and also damaged his left knee in the incident. He had to have three operations and…

Views sought on draft first aid guidance

Posted: 26 March 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a consultation on the content of revised guidance to help businesses put in place appropriate arrangements for the provision of first aid. The current Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) text on first aid may also be removed and incorporated into the new guidance to provide simple, comprehensive information for all. The changes are part of HSE’s work to make it easier for businesses to understand what they need to do to comply with workplace health and safety law, while maintaining standards. They…

Safety manifesto to reduce workplace injuries

Posted: 14 March 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Workplace Injuries

At a time when the Government’s approach to health and safety reforms has been criticised for prioritising the reduction of red tape over the safety of Britain’s workers, trade union body the TUC has published details of its safety manifesto. The manifesto includes ten key recommendations that the TUC believes could improve the UK’s safety record, and prevent a good many of the 20,000 workplace-related injuries and deaths that it says occur in the UK every year. Regular safety inspections The TUC’s top recommendation to improve workplace safety is an…

Call for action on road risk

Posted: 12 February 2013

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Workplace Injuries

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s support for action on occupational road risk has been welcomed by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. Transport for London recently published findings of the first independent review into construction logistics and cyclist safety. The report was commissioned in wake of a worrying number of collisions involving construction vehicles. Of the 16 cyclist fatalities in London in 2011, nine involved heavy goods vehicles and seven of these were construction vehicles. The Transport Research Laboratory looked specifically at how cycle safety is considered within the vehicles’…

Employers failing to protect computer users

Posted: 29 January 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence

Recent research has found that employee health could be at risk because employers are not doing enough to protect them from the effects of poor computer use. According to the study by energiseYou, the large majority of employees score just 55% on the key drivers of smart computer use, which can have implications for their health. The research of over 2,000 employees also found that: Just 30% say that their working environment is suitable e.g. comfortable lighting levels. Less than half say they stretch their neck, back and shoulders at…

Worker burned by 'jet of fire'

Posted: 24 January 2013

Posted in: Arm Injury, Workplace Injuries

A sub-contractor from Highley has been fined for safety breaches after a worker was burned by a ‘jet of fire’ when he hit an underground electricity cable with a steel pin while replacing pavement edging in Birmingham. The worker escaped with minor burns to his arms and eyebrows and had his clothing singed when the 415 volt cable sent a ‘jet of fire’ up the steel pin. During the HSE’s prosecution, Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that the contractor had been subcontracted to undertake the work and provided with information stating…

Too many workers still exposed to bloodborne viruses

Posted: 15 January 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Medical Negligence

Recent figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have revealed that there were 541 reports of needlestick injuries that exposed workers in the healthcare sector to patients carrying bloodborne viruses in 2011. This is double the amount compared to a decade ago (2002), when 271 exposures were reported. Since the HPA’s previous report, which presented data until the end of 2007, a further 2,039 occupational exposures to known bloodborne virus carriers have been reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between 2008 and 2011 there were five patient to…

Construction companies fined over worker's six-metre fall

Posted: 18 December 2012

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Falls from Heights, Hand Injuries, Hip Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Two construction companies have been fined for serious safety failings after a Coventry worker suffered life-changing injuries when he plummeted more than six metres through a badly-covered hole in a floor. Contract worker Ian Howells punctured his lung, broke every rib on the left hand side of his body, shattered all the bones in his left hand and fractured his pelvis in three places as he stepped onto what he thought was a pile of wood covered by plastic. He was bedridden for two months and was unable to work…

Companies sentenced after worker's fatal fall

Posted: 30 November 2012

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Falls from Heights, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A major construction company and a concrete structures firm have been sentenced after a worker died following a fall from height at a Swansea building site. Self-employed father of two, Russell Samuel, was contracted to work as a scaffolder at the Swansea site. He was dismantling a scaffold ladder access platform ready for the installation of the roof and staircase on the fourth floor, when he fell approximately 19 metres to the ground below, narrowly missing a carpenter who was working directly below. Mr Samuel suffered multiple injuries during his…

Tackling dog attacks on postal workers

Posted: 27 November 2012

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Workplace Injuries

A recent report has recommended that new legislation be introduced to help tackle the problem of dog attacks on postal workers. The report, commissioned by Royal Mail and prepared by Sir Gordon Langley, also recommends that Royal Mail should actively pursue legal action against the owners of dogs which attack postmen and women According to the report, over 3000 postmen and women were attacked across the UK by dogs from April 2011 to April 2012. Donald Brydon CBE, Chairman, Royal Mail Group, commented: “Dog attacks cause injuries and terrible trauma…

Health and safety can aid rail industry cost-cutting

Posted: 22 November 2012

Posted in: Public Transport, Road Traffic Accidents, Workplace Injuries

Concerns have been raised that rail industry cost-cutting measures, combined with negative perceptions of health and safety, could jeopardise rail worker protection. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has called upon Government and businesses in the sector to recognise the vital money savings that good health and safety management can bring, through reducing personal injuries and ill-health. Martin Leeks, IOSH Railway Group chair, urged the railway industry to build upon improvements in occupational health and safety, as a way of cutting costs by reducing lost-time and improving efficiency.…

Oil Rig Accident Compensation Claims

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

Oil rigs are notoriously dangerous environments and recent oil rig disasters have shown that when an accident happens on an oil rig the subsequent injuries are severe and sometimes fatal. Employers have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees and therefore they must do everything they can to ensure that they prevent oil rig injuries. A prudent employer will ensure that all employees are provided with appropriate training, safety equipment and that all machinery is well maintained. Any employee that suffers an injury as a…

Industrial & Manual Workplace Injuries

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The term “industrial injuries” is a broad term to cover injuries suffered in dangerous workplaces such as factories, constructions sites and power plants. Employees can suffer injuries in any working environment however those working in industrial sites are of course more exposed. This is because they work with dangerous substances, heavy machinery, work from heights in addition to being exposed to the usual dangers such as slips, trips and falls. As employers have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees, if an employee suffers in…

Birmingham Office Injuries Claim

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

You are entitled to work in an environment where you feel safe. Employers have a duty of care towards their employees. This means that employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees are working in a safe environment. Employers can help to prevent office injuries by making sure that employees are provided with the appropriate safety equipment (such as chairs with appropriate support) and ensuring that hazards (such as spillages or lose wiring) are either removed or dealt with. The most common office injuries are the following: manual handling injuries…

Vibration White Finger Claims

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Workplace Injuries

If you have suffered an injury as a result of operating vibrating machinery you may be entitled to vibration white finger compensation and you should contact our solicitors** in Birmingham to obtain further information. Vibration white finger compensation may be available if you suffer from symptoms such as numbing of the fingers, throbbing in the fingers, changes to your sense of touch, lack of strength in the fingers or the loss of colour in fingers (which normally occurs in cold weather). The cause of injury normally relates to use of…

Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Compensation Claims

Posted in: Asbestos Exposure, Industrial Deafness and Disease, Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a building material that was heavily used for insulation up until the 1970s, before it was discovered that inhaling asbestos fibres was harmful. The reason why it took such a long time to make the link between asbestos and mesothelioma is because in many cases the symptoms took a long time to present themselves and in some cases many years after the contact with asbestos ceased. As a result anyone who suffers from mesothelioma as a result…

Lung Disease Compensation

Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease

A large number of individuals may have been exposed to harmful substances during their employment. As a result of exposure to these substances they may now suffer from lung disease and therefore be entitled to lung disease compensation. Examples of substances which may be harmful include asbestos, different forms of dust and welding fumes.  There are a number of occupations in which lung disease is at a greater risk of being developed, and these include miners, asbestos workers, those working in laboratories, those involved in forestry and construction workers. If…