Claiming Compensation If You Are Injured By Lifting Heavy Objects At Work
Claiming Compensation If You Are Injured By Lifting Heavy Objects At Work
All employers have the legal responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from injuries at work. In order to meet this responsibility, employers are required by law to provide a safe place of work, a safe system of work, adequate and appropriate equipment, and to make sure that all staff are adequately trained in health and safety proceedures. If an employer fails in any one of these requirements then they could be seen as negligent or in breach of their statutory duty and if an employee suffers a personal injury, the employer will be held liable for this.
One of the most common ways in which people are injured at work is by lifting heavy objects, this can cause back pain. Whilst this may sound like a minor injury, back and shoulder strain can cause persistent and ongoing pain which can result in a reduced quality of life and can severely impact your ability to work. Personal injury claims for back strain can often result in large compensation payouts. There are a number of actions which employers are expected to undertake to reduce the risk associated with lifting and carrying, these are:
1. Providing a safe place of work. The employer should make sure that their premises is maintained and that all floors and surfaces are kept clear so that staff do not have to lift heavy objects in order to remove obstructions to their daily routine and duties.
2. Providing a safe system of work. The employer should minimise the volume of lifting which is required as much as possible. Certain particularly dangerous and hazardous types of lifting should also be given special attention - for example, procedures should be designed so that staff are never required to lift objects above shoulder height, and that bulky objects are moved by pairs or teams of workers rather than individuals. Employers should also take note of and act upon any concerns or complaints regarding unsafe working practices which are raised by staff.
3. Providing adequate and appropriate equipment. If the employee is required to regularly move bulky or heavy items, the employer should consider whether manual lifting and carrying is the best method of moving the objects, especially if they need to be moved across a large distance. Depending on the volume of lifting, porter's trolleys, wheeled palettes, hydraulic lifts and even fork-lift trucks may be necessary.
4. Ensuring that staff are adequately trained in health & safety issues. In all workplaces where lifting and carrying routinely take place, the employer should make sure that all staff take part in manual handling training. If the employer has provided special equipment for lifting and carrying, they will need to make sure that staff are aware of this equipment and are trained in how to use it or else they will still be failing in their duty to the employees. The employer should also think about imposing a policy which requires employees to always use lifting equipment for certain activities.
If you have suffered a back injury as a result of the lifting and carrying that is involved in your job, and you believe that your employer has fallen short of the reasonable precautions which are outlined above, you may well have a personal injury claim for compensation. You should speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor aboutyour case, and the Law Society can put you in touch with someone who is an expert in this field. Preparing To Learn Espanol Online How to Use a Money Frog to Increase Prosperity How To Buy Super Pocket Bikes For Kids Forex Trading Tip - Why Poker Players Often Make Millionaire FX Traders Tips to Remember When Buying Designer Sunglasses Online by:Levi Strauss A Few Facts About A Stepper Motor RevUp31 Review Efficient Information Online Graduate Programs Bra Strap Traits:obtain The Finest Bra Strap For Your Particular Wedding Make Money Online with Zipnadazilch how it works why it works Where To Buy Hcg From? Wholesale Fashion Jewelry - The Little-known, Secret Back Door To Affordable Elegance Gastric Band Hypnosis Helps Women To Beat Their Struggle With Weight Loss