Pages On: Workplace Injuries

Stress at Work Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

In 2015/16, a total of 11.7 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, this number has been increasing in recent years. If you suffer from work-related stress in Manchester, our lawyers could help you today. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience with regard to handling employment law cases, experience that is partnered with great care and empathy to provide a truly unique service to claimants. What Are Your Employer’s Legal Requirements? If employees have voiced complaints of mentally difficult conditions at work, such as stress, anxiety,…

Repetitive Strain Injury Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Repetitive Strain Injury, Workplace Injuries

If you have suffered a repetitive strain injury, or RSI, in Manchester, and are looking to claim compensation, get in touch with our team today. We understand what a big impact the likes of a repetitive strain injury can have on your life, making even mundane, everyday tasks difficult. That’s why it is important for you to be represented by a solicitor** who you can trust will fight hard to win you the maximum amount of compensation possible for your particular circumstances. A repetitive strain injury is a soft tissue…

Product Liability Compensation Claims

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment

Have you suffered a personal injury because of a faulty product? Our solicitors** for Manchester could help you claim product liability compensation. Our experts have a wealth of knowledge and experience in recovering compensation for people affected by defective goods and products. Making A Product Liability Claim For Defective Goods We use goods and products for most of the things we do in our everyday lives, and never think that they could cause us harm. When a product is faulty, this means that there is something wrong with one of…

Production line worker suffers tinnitus after accident at work

Posted: 1 May 2016

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

A 54-year-old production worker has received compensation after hitting his head off of a steel conveyor belt, causing him to suffer from Tinnitus. Paul Kelly was awarded an undisclosed sum following the damage to his hearing and regular bouts of migraine in an accident in work. The operative was working alongside the conveyor belt, which was around 5 feet off the ground, when he hit his head against it. He had not been issued with any protective equipment and was therefore not wearing a hard hat. It was brought to light that…

Birkenhead gardener wins compensation from council

Posted: 21 April 2016

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

A 55-year-old gardener from Birkenhead has been awarded £10,000 in compensation for an injury sustained whilst working for Wirral Borough Council.  Gary Knight had been working for 33 years for the council when he developed a condition known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), after excessive use of vibrating tools.  The condition will be permanent, and Mr Knight has stated that he fears that it will get worse over time.  Mr Knight had been using vibrating tools, such as strimmers and lawn mowers, almost every day in his job and…

Construction worker awarded over £300,000

Posted: 12 April 2016

Posted in: Car Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Hip Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Workplace Injuries

A construction worker who was very seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident whilst travelling to work has been awarded over £300,000 in compensation. The accident occurred when a female driver travelling in the other direction lost control of her car and veered into the path of the worker. The female driver sadly lost her life as a result of the accident. The injured man was taken to hospital by ambulance, where it was found that he was suffering from multiple fractures and injuries. The victim, who was in this 50s, sustained…

Workplace fall sees civil servant gaining substantial compensation

Posted: 22 March 2016

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A 43-year-old civil servant from Surrey has been awarded substantial damages following an accident at work.  The employee, who has opted to remain unnamed, had a fall at her workplace at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), leaving her having to undergo three operations to her ankle after the fall. A hearing has heard that the worker, from Thornton Heath, has been left with a permanent injury to her ankle, which will more than likely require more surgery in the future.  The civil servant has been left with a…

Former HGV driver wins £225k compensation

Posted: 21 December 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Road Traffic Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A man has been awarded £225k in compensation after two GPs failed to spot the nerve damage that left him with limited mobility and in permanent pain. 54-year-old Martyn Wall, a former HGV driver from Marnhull near Sturminster Newton, suffered a back injury five years ago while repositioning road signs in a lorry. He suffered Cauda Equina Syndrome and irreversible nerve damage. Mr Wall blames his current condition on the two GPs that failed to recognise the severity of his injuries. He claims that the two Dorset GPs that saw…

British couple wins damages following accident abroad

Posted: 30 November 2015

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Head and Brain Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A couple who had been working abroad as freelancers in Ethiopia have been awarded compensation after being involved in a serious road traffic collision. The couple had been travelling as passengers when the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with another car. Both suffered severe injuries in the accident, including head and spinal injuries, and required emergency care in Addis Ababa before being repatriated to the UK by air ambulance. The case was taken to the High Court where both the Ethiopian and American defendants accepted the jurisdiction of…

David Cameron to review asbestos compensation for veterans

Posted: 16 November 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Asbestos Exposure, Mesothelioma

Following a recent surge of complaints about the way in which war veterans are compensated after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, David Cameron has agreed to review the system. It currently stands that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is protected by law from having to pay out compensation to illness or injury suffered before 1987. Figures have revealed that this means that around 2,500 Royal Navy veterans will die of mesothelioma from asbestos-exposure on ships decades ago – the most they can do is apply for a war pension. A war…

Army veteran compensated over half a million pounds

Posted: 30 September 2015

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries

An army veteran from Westhoughton has been awarded over £500,000 in compensation after suffering a “life changing” injury in 2008. The 42-year-old, who has been named Mathew for legal reasons, had been carrying out voluntary work for the Territorial Army when an unloading accident caused him to suffer a severe shoulder injury. The accident happened during an overseas tour with the Commanding Officer Battle Group (South) – a colleague was passing heavy boxes down from a helicopter where Mathew was stacking them. However, his colleague did not realise that one…

Window company fined £20K

Posted: 6 July 2015

Posted in: Finger Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A window supply company has been fined more than £20,000 after an injured worker lost three fingers and a thumb while operating a power saw. It was heard in the Hammersmith Magistrates court last week (30 June) that the 22-year-old employee, who remains unnamed, had been cutting a piece of PVC when the accident happened. The worker disconnected the air supply to the saw, allowing him to move the saw head manually. However, when he pressed down on the saw head, the blade guard rose and trapped his fingers, pulling…

Family seek compensation over F1 crash

Posted: 28 May 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Sporting Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The family of a Formula 1 test driver that died a year after a serious crash is considering claiming for compensation. Maria De Villota lost her right eye while testing for Marussia at Duxford Airfield in July 2012.  Only one year later, she died, aged 33. Earlier this week the Health and Safety Executive said that no action would be taken against Marussia for the accident. The family, however, said that they would conduct a full analysis of the report to “evaluate the next legal steps to claim the corresponding…

When is an employer accountable for psychiatric injury?

Posted: 8 May 2015

Posted in: Employer Negligence

In recent years stress has become the most common workplace ailment, replacing the previous ‘bad back’. Employers can face serious legal liability if they fail to handle the problem of workplace stress effectively. But the question must be asked, at what point is an employer legally accountable for psychiatric injury? A recent case at the Court of Appeal provided some helpful guidance regarding the extent to which employers may be responsible for injury caused to an employee in a one-off incident. The Yapp v Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) case…

Construction Site Accidents in Manchester – Compensation Claims

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

From the expansion of the Etihad Stadium to the Hough End leisure centre, there have been exciting developments for construction in Manchester. Unfortunately, accidents whilst working in construction are more likely for an employee due to the practical nature of, and potential danger of this role. This is why the law places additional obligations on building and construction companies to provide training and proper equipment to their employees, to prevent construction site accidents in Manchester. No Win, No Fee Construction Site Accident Claims Should you have the misfortune to have…

Slips, Trips, and Falls Injury Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries

Have you ever slipped in a supermarket, tripped over a pothole, or fell down stairs in an accident at work? If you have been in anything like these situations, you could be forgiven for wanting to forget about it as quickly as possible. However, if you do, even though your accident resulted in an injury that was caused by someone else, you may miss out on compensation that you are entitled to. At Accident Claims Manchester, we take slips, trips and falls very seriously. No matter your accident, contact us today for…

Compensation for injured cameraman

Posted: 30 January 2015

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, Motorcycle Accidents, Workplace Injuries

An “inspirational” cameraman has been awarded a “substantial” compensation package after filming the moment that a motorbike crashed into him. 52-year-old Noel Greaves-Lord, from Worthing, had been filming from a pavement in Cannes, France, when a motorcyclist lost control and skidded into him while coming round a bend. He had to undergo several operations to fix his fractured ankle, but after contracting MRSA – an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection – doctors advised that amputation was the safest option. During his extremely successful career, Mr Greaves-Lord covered extensive national and international…

Forklift safety checks before Christmas

Posted: 30 October 2014

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

With around 8,000 reported forklift accidents happening in the UK every year, forklift drivers have been encouraged to ensure that their vehicles and operating environments are safe.  With Christmas being the busiest time for forklift drivers, the Health and Safety Executive has urged companies to make these simple safety checks and subsequently prevent injury.  Of the thousands of forklift accidents happening every year, it has been revealed that it is not only vehicle operators sustaining forklift-related injuries, but also those in the general workplace. A high percentage of the reported…

Council paid out £101million to injured workers

Posted: 27 October 2014

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

New figures have revealed that over the last five years, councils have paid out £101million to injured workers. With local authorities having paid out to 8,800 claimants, the injuries ranged from a teacher injuring herself from falling off a zip wire, to a cleaner splashing bleach in her eye. The campaign manager for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, Andy Silvester, said that some successful claims were evidence of “compensation culture gone mad”. While 372 councils awarded compensation to 8,800 claimants, thousands of other claims were rejected.  Amongst those were two teachers from…

Soldier wins damages for injuries

Posted: 9 September 2014

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

An ex-soldier has won more than £125,000 in compensation after suffering frostbite-like injuries during a training drill. John Billett (29) suffered permanent injuries to his feet after being forced to lie in freezing conditions during a leadership training exercise. Having left the armed forced in 2011, the MoD accepted 75% liability for Mr Billett’s life-changing injuries and Judge Andrew Edis QC awarded him £127,956 in damages. Mr Billett, a former Lance Corporeal in the Royal Logistics Corps, completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2010 and was commended for…

Over half a million paid out by police force

Posted: 25 August 2014

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Asbestos Exposure, Criminal Injury and Assault, Faulty Work Equipment, Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A total of £589,000 has been paid out in compensation and legal fees by West Midlands Police in 2013/14. Among the 26 personal injury claims made against the force, officers injured during personal safety training exercises made up three of the successful claims.  On top of this, other successful claimants included those who had injured themselves moving furniture, tripping in a hole in the office floor and falling from a faulty office chair. Of the half a million paid out, £328,100 was paid in compensation, and £260,900 was paid to…

Aircraft engineer wins £600k

Posted: 27 July 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Faulty Work Equipment, Leg Injuries, Public Transport, Workplace Injuries

An engineer at Manchester Airport has been awarded a £600,000 payout after the tyre he was inflating was blown up at a pressure 14x higher than expected by faulty equipment. Hendrik Donkers endured a four-year legal battle following the accident, in which he lost both his arm and a leg, before compensation was offered. The father of one had been inflating a tyre that significantly over-inflated due to faulty equipment, causing it to explode on the tarmac. Lufthansa and UK firm Storm Aviation – who provided Mr Donkers with the faulty…

Clinical scientist suing hospital

Posted: 25 July 2014

Posted in: Neck Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A clinical scientist is suing Derriford Hospital after a cupboard fell off the wall, causing her serious injuries.  Samantha Sims suffered injuries to her hands, thumbs, and neck in the accident and has been unable to work since the accident in September 2011.  She is suing the NHS Trust for approximately £300,000. Ms Sims (38) lodged a claim with the High Court in London, saying that the injury has caused her to develop spasms in the muscles around her neck and shoulders, causing her great pain.  It was heard that…

Border guards sue government over dangerous uniform

Posted: 16 July 2014

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries

Around 250 Border Control guards have claimed for compensation after their new uniforms caused “chemical-type burns”.  The guards argue that the chemicals and dyes used to make the uniforms are causing severe skin conditions.  The border guards have claimed for hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation as the uniforms are burning and irritating their skin. It was heard by ISU trade union general secretary, Lucy Moreton, that the staff are now being forced to wear silk “burn garments” beneath their uniforms to prevent the material from coming into contact…

Airbus guilty over safety failings

Posted: 8 June 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus has pleaded guilty to health and safety failings after a worker was crushed to death in one of its factories. 62-year-old Donald Williams, a highly experienced mechanic, suffered a fractured skull in an accident that happened in the company’s Flintshire factory. The accident occurred in November 2011 and was brought to the Mold Crown Court by the Health and Safety Executive. Airbus pleaded guilty to the charge on a “full facts” basis, and other charges were dropped. Prosecutor Simon Parrington said that these included the company’s failure to assess…

Police compensation triples in one year

Posted: 3 June 2014

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

New figures have revealed that compensation paid out to victims of policing issues in Oxfordshire had tripled in the last year. With claims including police-dog bites and psychological injuries, Thames Valley Police has paid out more than £69,000 since the beginning of 2012.  Members of the public have won a total of 70 cases against the force. One solicitor commented on the figures, arguing that the number of compensation claims against the police force show a serious failing.  The political director at the Taxpayers’ Alliance also commented, saying: “Authorities must…

Almost half a million to council staff

Posted: 28 May 2014

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

In the last two years, just under half a million pounds of compensation has been paid out to East and West Sussex County Council staff. In 2012 and 2013, East and West Sussex County Councils paid-out £472,973 in compensation to injured employees.  One payout of £23,000 by West Sussex County Council went to a teacher who slipped on a puddle in a school corridor, suffering serious ligament damage. A spokesperson from the WSCC said that the council did originally fight the claim, but the court ruled them responsible for the accident, and…

Bolton Council sees biggest bill in Greater Manchester

Posted: 22 April 2014

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

Compensation paid-out by Bolton Council to children injured at school has totaled £150,000, the greatest bill in Greater Manchester excluding Manchester Council.  One payout to an injured child alone was over £24,000. The council saw a total of fifty claims made on behalf of pupils who had suffered a personal injury at either primary or secondary school.  Only fourteen of these claims were successful and a total of £150,881.70 was paid-out including legal fees. The lowest payout stood at £671 for slipping on leaves or ice on a footpath, while…

£3m payout to lollipop lady

Posted: 7 April 2014

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

A lollipop lady has finally won compensation following an accident that happened in 2011.  The South Sheilds lollipop lady Eleanor Harman has struggled to win compensation since the devastating accident, but has finally been successful due to the finding of crucial CCTV footage.  The footage clearly shows the 61-year-old being mown down by a car on the school run.  Mrs Harman suffered a severe brain injury in the accident, and now requires constant care. The driver of the vehicle, Margaret Boyles, initially denied liability and was given a £90 fine.…

Welder awarded £500,000 for injuries

Posted: 2 March 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A welder will never work again following the injuries he suffered when a metal jack collapsed under him and smashed his face. The 49-year-old man had been working for the Trafford Park based motor firm the Hulme Group, trying to weld two pieces of steel when the accident occurred. The subsequent injuries were so severe he must now spend the rest of his life wearing a plastic mask on the left of his face. He recently was awarded with half a million pounds in compensation. The welder required multiple operations following the accident…

Accidents at Work Claim Solicitors of Manchester

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

If you have the misfortune to have an accident at work, we can help. Being injured in the workplace can be a stressful situation. It can potentially also result in future loss of earnings if you are unable to return to work. Our team of experts with local Manchester knowledge can help you make a claim for accidents at work, whether it’s an office, a warehouse, or a construction site. Your employer is legally obliged to make sure you as an employee are safe. If your injury is caused by…

National Trust not responsible for injury

Posted: 11 February 2014

Posted in: Falls from Heights, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

The National Trust has been declared not liable for the personal injuries suffered by a tree surgeon that had been working at Morden Hall Park in Surrey. Jamie Alexander Yates sued the trust for negligence after becoming paralysed following a 50ft fall from a tree. Mr Yates had been part of a team working on trees in the ground and suffered spinal injuries that have left him permanently paraplegic.  Mr Yates sued the trust under work at height regulations, claiming that they owed him a duty of care following the accident.…

Fishermen poisoned by lethal gas

Posted: 4 February 2014

Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Two fishermen have died after being poisoned by lethal gas in their bunks on a vessel in Whitby. An investigation into the accident found that the men had lit the grill of the butane gas cooker to heat up the sleeping area in the wheelhouse, which resulted in a high expulsion of carbon monoxide.  Mark Arries (26) from Blyth, Northumberland, and Edward Ide (21) from Amble, Northumberland, had been resting in the scallop dredger Eshcol when the accident happened. Paramedics declared the men dead at the scene on the 15th…

21yo amazon worker left with ‘middle-age’ back pain

Posted: 30 December 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Repetitive Strain Injury, Spine & Back Injuries

21-year-old Rhys Owen has been left with chronic back pain, that he claims has aged him prematurely, after taking up a temporary position in an Amazon warehouse over Christmas.  Mr Owen was a keen footballer, playing twice a week, but now suffers with severe back problems after working eleven and a half hour shifts on the warehouse floor.  He is currently suing the internet giant, with Manchester solicitors warning that numerous staff members could be left in severe pain due to Amazon’s working conditions. Mr Owen, from Bedford, worked at…

Engineering company receive £160,000 fine following crane death

Posted: 27 November 2013

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

Engineering company Assystem UK Ltd have been fined £160,000 after an electrician was crushed by a crane in their Lancashire factory.  51-year-old Liam O’Neill had been replacing a control cable on a platform when a crane suddenly moved and crushed him to death. Originally from Didsbury, Manchester, Mr O’Neill was immediately rushed to hospital, where he died of his injuries only a week later. Assystem UK Ltd pleaded guilty to safety failures at Preston Crown Court: including a failure to ensure the safety of staff.  The prosecution was made under…

Car components manufacturer fined over burned worker

Posted: 15 October 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

A Leamington Spa car components manufacturer has been fined over £12,000 after a member of staff sustained serious burns from caustic soda while leaning over a conveyor. The accident occurred at Grupo Antolin Leamington, a car components manufacturer based in Warwickshire, in January of last year.    It was heard at Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court that the man had been working on a spray line – a stage of car part manufacture that contributes to a car’s roof interior – when he came into contact with the highly corrosive substance caustic…

Royal Marine wins damages appeal after brain injury

Posted: 9 July 2013

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Thomas Birth, a Royal Marine from Derbyshire, won his fight for damages after his Land Rover plunged off a cliff in Afghanistan seven years ago.  In 2006, the 18-year-old lance corporal fell 100ft after he lost control of his vehicle in Helmand Provence and sustained serious head injuries. After having relearned to walk and talk, the now 25-year-old Mr. Birch has been awarded with compensation from the Ministry of Defence. He suffered brain, skull, and internal organ injuries of such a great scale in the crash that he has had to…

Chemical firm prosecuted over multiple incidents

Posted: 18 April 2013

Posted in: Falls from Heights, Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries

An international chemical firm has been fined more than £100,000 after workers were put in danger in three separate incidents at its Cheshire factory. One employee suffered severe burns to his right foot which removed a layer of skin and required 18 months of treatment. Another worker was injured when the metal grating he was walking on gave way five floors up, and employees were also put at risk when high levels of carbon monoxide were released into the former plant. The firm was prosecuted by the Health and Safety…

Employers flout the law, claims teachers’ union

Posted: 9 April 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, School Accidents

Teachers union, the NASUWT, has reportedly secured £15,610,924 compensation for members in 2012. The figure represented an increase of 24% compared to the 2011 figure of £12,625,509. The compensation was awarded for successful claims for unlawful deduction of wages, unfair dismissal, breach of contract, constructive dismissal and discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age and trade union activity. Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said: “It is clear from these cases that if employers operated good employment and health and safety practice, then teachers would not have…

Packaging firm fined over worker's severed fingers

Posted: 3 April 2013

Posted in: Finger Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A packaging firm has been fined £200,000 after an employee severely injured both of his hands when they became trapped in heavy machinery at a Whitehaven factory. The 25-year-old lost four fingers and severed parts of two others in the incident on 14th September 2010. The company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found the employee had not received suitable training and was not being appropriately supervised at the time he was injured. Carlisle Crown Court heard he had been working on a machine,…

Tax breaks for work health schemes welcomed

Posted: 26 March 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s decision to give tax breaks on health initiatives at work is good for employers and their employees, according to a leading health and safety body. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) had urged George Osborne to remove tax disincentives on employer-provided therapies and vocational rehabilitation programmes. In the budget, the Chancellor announced that the Government would introduce a targeted tax relief, so amounts up to £500 paid by employers on recommended schemes are not treated as a taxable benefit in kind. IOSH head…

The risks of food manufacturing

Posted: 14 March 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Faulty Work Equipment, Finger Injuries, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A number of recent cases reported by the Health and Safety Executive have highlighted the risks faced by workers in the food manufacturing sector. Unguarded machinery leads to loss of thumb In one case, an employee at a crisp manufacturer in Newport lost his thumb while working with an unguarded machine. He was attempting to clear a blockage from a potato sorting machine when one of the gloves he was wearing got caught between the rollers and his right thumb was severed. Apparently, the usual company procedure was to use…

New chief inspector of construction at HSE

Posted: 12 March 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The Health and Safety Executive has appointed Heather Bryant to the post of chief inspector of construction. Despite significant improvements in recent years, construction remains one of Britain’s most dangerous industries – 49 people were killed and 2,884 seriously injured in 2011/12. Heather Bryant said: “Construction is one of Britain’s most important industries and employs a huge number of people. All of those people have a basic right to return home safe and well from their day’s work. “To its credit, the sector has already been making good progress in…

Improving rural industry health and safety

Posted: 26 February 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The Rural Industries Section of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Ireland Branch is to hold an event to discuss solutions to cut the high injury and fatality rates across Ireland’s rural industries. The move comes after there were 28 deaths in agriculture, forestry, and fishing last year in Ireland. Michael Cusack, Rural Industries Section chair said: “With almost 120 work-related deaths in agriculture, forestry and fishing in the last five years, these statistics are remaining worryingly high. “We’re also finding that the ageing workforce in the farm industry…

Employers should focus on employee well-being

Posted: 19 February 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries

Employers who create healthy workplaces can reduce employee absence and boost productivity, according to a new TUC guide. The report, ‘Work and well-being’, aims to promote healthier working and help union safety reps identify what within their workplaces are making staff ill. Every year around 170 million working days are lost because people are too poorly to go into work – 23 million of these are down to work-related ill health and four million as a result of injuries suffered at work. The best way of tackling ill health is…

Cyclists at risk from construction vehicles

Posted: 12 February 2013

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

Transport for London (TfL) has recently published findings of the first independent review into construction logistics and cyclist safety. The report was commissioned after figures revealed a worrying number of road traffic 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 independent review outlined 12 recommendations, including: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should look at extending regulations that govern the reporting of on road collisions, with the report saying “…HSE should extend…

More potential asbestos victims

Posted: 10 February 2013

Posted in: Asbestos Exposure, Employer Negligence, Mesothelioma

Asbestos is often referred to as the hidden killer, and is responsible for the death of around 20 tradesmen a week on average. Despite a number of high-profile campaigns aimed at highlighting the extreme dangers associated with exposure to asbestos, there are still a distressing number of new prosecutions every year by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) against negligent employers who have failed to protect their workers from this deadly substance. Workers put at risk A recent incident reported by the HSE demonstrates how workers are still being negligently…

IOSH welcomes new work safety strategy

Posted: 5 February 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has welcomed a new strategy for reducing work-related injuries and illness in Ireland. According to IOSH, the Health and Safety Authority’s (HSA) Strategy Statement 2013-2015 can also help cut the number of deaths in Ireland’s workplaces, particularly the high levels suffered in agriculture and fishing. The HSA strategy outlines a work programme to reduce occupational injury, illness and fatalities in Ireland. It also carries vital backing from Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton on the economic importance of health and…

Supply chains put pressure on health and safety

Posted: 29 January 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

A new report has analysed the impact of the use of supply chains within businesses on occupational safety and health (OSH). The report, from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, shows that companies are affected by many different pressures in working with their supply chains to improve OSH: as well as market-based business considerations and sustainability and corporate social responsibility agendas, there are also external pressures, such as legal demands and the concerns of stakeholders, consumer groups and other pressure groups. Though there are considerable differences between…

Bolton fabric firm fined over employee's injuries

Posted: 24 January 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries

A Bolton fabric firm has been fined after an employee was badly injured when he was flipped around a large rotating roller. The HSE investigation found that the 39-year-old was trying to straighten a crease on a roll of fabric as it was being wound up when his clothes became caught in the mechanism. He was dragged around the roller three times, suffering cracked ribs and bruising to the side of his body. Trafford Magistrates’ Court heard that there were no guards on the machine to prevent workers from accessing…

Council in court over worker's 230 volt shock

Posted: 18 December 2012

Posted in: Arm Injury, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Bury Council has appeared in court after one of its employees suffered an electric shock from a 230 volt mains cable. The 33-year-old from Prestwich suffered burns to his wrist, leg and groin and singed his facial hair while removing a lamp post in Radcliffe in June 2011. The local authority was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found he had received inadequate training and supervision for the work, leading to his personal injuries. Trafford Magistrates’ Court heard that new street lights had recently been…

Property developer sentenced over Manchester gas explosion

Posted: 30 November 2012

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

A property development firm has been fined £100,000 following a major gas explosion that injured a worker and destroyed dozens of homes in South Manchester. Manchester Crown Court heard that a former hospital building was being converted into houses and apartments when a worker cut through a six-inch gas pipe in an underground tunnel. He suffered burns to his hands and face when gas inside the pipe ignited. About an hour later, gas that had continued to leak from the damaged pipe ignited again causing an explosion that destroyed a…

Bar Council calls on Government to protect injured workers

Posted: 20 November 2012

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has joined the Personal Injuries Bar Association (PIBA) to call on Peers to hold the Government to account on plans to severely restrict access to justice for injured workers through amendments to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. The Bar Council claims that the new Clause 14 would make it extremely difficult in practice for employees to claim damages from their employers for breach of regulations leading to injury, unless they can prove direct fault. Michael Todd QC, Chairman of…

Vibration White Finger Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease, Workplace Injuries

Vibration white finger (VWF) is the name given to an industrial disease which affects thousands of employees, particularly those who repeatedly use heavy vibrating machinery such as power tools. It is a subtype of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome or HAVS. Because the vibration from machinery can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels, it can result in poor circulation and lack of oxygen. Vibration white finger is a difficult condition to live with and becomes worse in the cold. The symptoms of VWF include numbness in the hands and…

Oil Rig Injury Compensation Claims for Workers from Manchester

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

Oil rigs can be dangerous places. The combination of working in dangerous weather conditions, using heavy machinery, contact with flammable substances and so on means that there is an ever present risk of an oil rig injury. All employers have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees. Especially so with oil rigs, because of the risks associated with them, are heavily regulated, and these employers have an even stricter duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees. This includes providing employees with…

Office Injury Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

We all have the right to work in an environment where we do not have to fear for our safety. This is enforced by legislation which gives employers have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their employees. Employers are obliged to carry out risk assessments, have an accident book, provide appropriate training (such as manual handling training) and appropriate equipment (such as chairs with appropriate support and wrist rests) and so on. It therefore follows that any employee that suffers an injury in the work place…

Lung Disease Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease

Lung disease is serious, and it can have a major impact not just on your life, but on members of your family as well. There are a number of different lung diseases and the most common as are follows: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) – a disease that affects the flow of air through the windpipes;emphysema – a disease that results in the deterioration of the lung’s tissue, affecting the function of the lungs and resulting in a short breath;chronic bronchitis – inflammation of the bronchial passages resulting in coughing,…

Industrial Injury Compensation Claims in Manchester

Posted in: Workplace Injuries

An industrial injury is the term given to injuries incurred during the course of employment in an industrial environment, such as a factory. Whilst accidents can happen in any working environment, from the supposedly safe office to the more dangerous construction sites, accidents in industrial environments can lead to particularly severe personal injuries. Industrial Accident Claims Industrial environments are dangerous because they often involve the use of heavy machinery. All employers have a duty of care to ensure that working environments are safe and employers in industrial environments should take…