I say this a lot on the blogs I write – there are loads and loads of rules and regulations that employers must abide by to protect their employees in the workplace. They cover all sorts of things that range from general workplace health and safety to manual handling and working at height.
When your job means that you or a part of your body will be exposed to a potential danger, your employer must take all reasonable steps to prevent an injury. So let’s look at eye injuries and how these can be avoided.
Eyes Exposed to Injury?
There can be many jobs that may expose your eyes to injury. The more obvious ones would be working on building sites or when using tools that may cause debris to be propelled towards you. But even working with dust and dirt can leave your eyes exposed to injury. Our eyes can be rather sensitive and easily injured.
There is of course one very simple and effective way to prevent someone from sustaining an eye injury. Goggles or other similar forms of eye protection can be worn to prevent any particles, debris, or other things entering the eyes and causing an injury.
In fact, The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations exist for the whole purpose of imposing a duty on employers to provide, maintain, and enforce the use of such equipment where it is necessary for use. Staff should also be trained in using the equipment correctly.
So there is a duty in law, and if your eyes are injured because your employer ought to have provided you with some form of eye protection, you may have a valid claim for personal injury compensation.
What Can be Claimed For?
You can claim for the pain, suffering, and inconvenience caused. You can also claim for losses and expenses, like lost earnings from time off work, medical treatment expenses, and even for care and assistance if you need the help of friends and family. Any temporary or permanent loss of sight may warrant a considerable amount of care needed, and this can push up the value of a claim considerably.
According to official guidelines used to value eye injury claims, typical payout ranges for minor eye injuries range between £2,800 to £6,250. Where you are, when it comes to the value of your claim, is really entirely dependent on the length and severity of any suffering caused.
For help and advice, call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75.
