Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers have a legal duty to ensure all the necessary provisions are made to protect the welfare and safety of their employees. Unfortunately, where employers breach or show disregard for these regulations accidents can occur, resulting injury, or in severe cases fatality.
By law, employers are required to conduct regular safety assessments and audits, identifying occupational hazards and subsequently managing the risk. Yet despite this, employer negligence remains the most common cause of health and safety claims. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to insufficient safety standards you may be eligible to pursue a personal injury claim.
Health & Safety Breaches
The nature of the health and safety breach, and the industry determine the standards of care required by employers. Naturally, those who work in dynamic environments are placed at a greater risk of sustaining an occupational injury and should therefore be covered by regulated safety guidelines.
Upon induction employees should receive comprehensive health and safety training, especially where operating moving machinery or electric tools in a daily requirement of the worker. For example, in industrial occupations the use of Personal Protective Equipment is crucial in suitably minimising health and safety hazards posed to those who work in high risk industries such as construction.
Common health and safety breaches include, inadequate training, unsafe or unsuitable equipment, unstable structures which can all result in serious injuries.
