There are many different rules and regulations which your employer needs to follow in order to fulfil their duty to you in protecting you from risks to your health and safety. I have listed below some of the main areas these rules and regulations are contained within:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE covers a whole host of equipment which protects you from risks to your health and safety. This equipment can include overalls, safety boots, goggles, gloves, respirators and ear defenders – basically whatever is needed to keep you safe from the necessary risks of your job.
It is enshrined in regulation that it is your employer’s responsibility to provide this equipment, and they should not even ask you for a contribution.
Work equipment
Work equipment can make life at lot easier in the work place – it can, however, also pose a risk if it is not used, adapted, and / or maintained correctly.
Work equipment should have the necessary guards and emergency stop mechanisms in place so the likelihood of injury is greatly minimised. Employees should also be fully trained in its use and the machinery kept adequately maintained and stored. If employers are failing in these tasks it increases the likelihood of accidents happening.
Manual handling
If your work requires you to complete manual handling tasks you should be trained in such a manner that means you are able to complete these tasks with the least amount of stress caused to your body as possible, and in the safest manner possible.
For example, if your employers asks you to move a number of boxes which are extremely heavy, they should firstly assess the situation to see whether the task can be adapted – such as splitting the load so each box is lighter. If this is not possible they should assess the task and plan accordingly, providing mechanical assistance where possible and practicable.
General workplace safety
Employers should ensure that the workplace is generally a safe area to work within. For example, all traffic routes eg (aisles and corridors) should be safe and free of tripping and slipping hazards. To ensure this, employers may have cleaning and waste disposal policies in place, plus may have inspection rotas for checking areas are free of hazards.
If you feel that your employer has fallen short of the above and you have suffered an injury as a result you may have a strong claim for an accident at work claim.
If this is you then feel free to give The Injury Lawyers a call on 0800 634 7575 and we will be happy to help.