There are still a large number of accidents that happen in workplaces. Sometimes they are purely accidental but other times they are due to correct safety procedures not being followed. According to the Health and Safety Executive, there were 441,000 non-fatal workplace injuries reported by employees from 2020-2021. They occurred across all sectors from construction to hospitality, agriculture to offices.
There are lots of types of injuries that can occur at work, from relatively minor injuries to very serious ones. Sustaining an injury at work can be detrimental to your life and can impact your ability to remain at work. In this blog, we’re going to detail the 10 most common workplace injuries, as well as what you can do if you think you might be entitled to compensation from a personal injury claim.
What are Work Related Injuries?
Workplace injuries are injuries that occur at work. The number of workplace injuries is declining over time, largely due to improved health and safety laws, but there are still far too many accidents that happen at work. Whilst some injuries are pure accidents, others can be the result of failures by an employer to protect their staff and provide safe working conditions.
With that in mind, here are the 10 most common injuries people sustain at work.
1. Slips, trips and falls
Slips, trips and falls account for 33% of all non-fatal workplace injuries in the UK, making them the most common type of accident and injury. Regardless of where you work, you’re likely to come into contact with a slippery floor at some point, either because it has not been cleaned correctly or because something has been dropped on it.
Whenever there is a risk of a wet floor, your employer should have the appropriate signage up to warn you of a wet floor. This means having wet floor signs on hand so that people can adjust themselves to the floor conditions appropriately i.e. slowing down and walking carefully.
Trips are also common workplace accidents either because there is something wrong with the floor or because something has been left on it. At work you should not have to avoid things like wires or uneven flooring. Your employer has a duty to make sure that the floor is not hazardous and that there is nothing on it that could cause you to trip or slip.
2. Handling, lifting, or carrying
Lots of people need to handle, lift and carry things as part of their job. For example, factory workers might need to lift heavy boxes, whilst retail workers often handle large deliveries. When not done properly, lifting and carrying things can cause strains. Your employer has a duty to show you the proper way to lift items and minimise the chances of a sprain or strain.
If the weight that you have been asked to move is too heavy then your employer has a duty to arrange for you to have assistance or a mechanical way of dealing with the lift.
3. Hit by a moving object
Being hit by a moving object can be extremely serious. A moving object may be considered as falling debris or tools, or a vehicle such as a forklift. Like with carrying items, there needs to be appropriate training in place to educate employees on the risks of moving objects at work and how to prevent accidents by following the correct procedures and protocols. Employers also have a duty to arrange their workplaces to ensure that as far as possible their employees are not anywhere near moving objects, whether that is a piece of machinery or a vehicle.
4. Violence
If you are unfortunately a victim of a crime of violence you might be able to bring a claim against either your employer, because they have not looked after your health and safety, or potentially a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
5. Falls from height
Working at height can be incredibly dangerous if a fall occurs which is why appropriate safety harnesses and precautions need to be in place, and adequate height training also needs to be undertaken. Falling from a ladder or scaffolding can be fatal, and even when it’s not, it can cause life-long injuries. For this reason, proper precautions and safety measures need to be put in place. The rules and procedures around working from height are understandably very strict and if you fall for virtually any reason it is likely you will have a claim.
6. Cuts and lacerations
If you work with machinery and blades, there is a risk of cuts and lacerations. It’s important to ensure that you’re provided with the relevant protective equipment to prevent against this, as well as ensuring there is a first aider on hand with appropriate dressings to stem the bleeding should you sustain a cut.
7. Exposure to loud noises
8. Toxic fume inhalation
9. Crashes
10. Repetitive strains
Can I Claim for a Work Related Injury?
If you’ve sustained an injury at work that was the result of negligence either by your employer or a fellow co-worker, you could make a claim for compensation. At OH Parsons, we have decades of experience and have helped tens of thousands of people claim the compensation they deserve after having work related accidents, and we could help you next.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
If you’ve incurred a disability as a result of an injury sustained at work, or if you’ve contracted a disease at work, you might be eligible to claim industrial injuries disablement benefit. You can find out more about the eligibility criteria here.
How to Claim Compensation with OH Parsons
When you get in touch with us, we’ll be able to advise you on whether you have a case or not, taking note of any relevant personal or financial information, such as caring costs and medical bills if necessary. Depending on the strength of your case we may be able to get a significant early interim payment so that the people responsible are paying for the costs of your accident rather than you paying for it out of your own pocket. We work on a no win no fee basis which means in the event your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t pay a penny. If you do win, we will ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation awarded to you. Our expert lawyers on your side to ensure negligent employers are held to account. We secure tens of millions of pounds of compensation for victims of workplace injuries every year. Start a claim with us today.
