Lifting heavy or awkward objects at work can carry a risk of injury – even if your employer has provided you with appropriate training. However, injury which has been caused by none or insufficient training and awareness means your employer could be liable for any injury that has been caused.

Your employer has a duty to take appropriate steps, to reduce the risk of any injuries. These steps are normally identified in risk assessments for the specific manual handling task you are instructed to undertake.

All employees who have an element of manual handling to their job role, which can range from warehouse workers moving lots of heavy crates to office workers moving boxes of paper or files, should receive reasonable Manual Handling Training. This normally includes showing you how to assess the weight of the load, whether the centre of gravity on the object is central, and how heavy and awkward objects should be lifted, pushed or pulled, including how to bend your body to do so. You also need to take in to account any potential hazards along the route to the destination of the lift. Are there any stairs to climb, for example.
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Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is equipment that is used or worn in the work place in order to avoid hazards that are created by a job. Personal protective equipment includes a variety of things such as safety goggles, ear plugs or protectors, face guards, protective footwear and gloves.

The type of and amount of equipment you will wear in the workplace will depend on the risks involved with your job.

The equipment can protect against minor scuffs and scrapes; however, on a more serious note, it can also protect against diseases caused by asbestos, hearing loss in noisy work places, and vibration white finger when using machinery.
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Horse Riding School Claims

Horse riding is an extremely popular past time in the UK, with tens of thousands of people attending horse riding schools every week to either ride or look after horses.

Unfortunately, horse riding accidents are also very common at these schools, not least because of the sheer size, power and unpredictability of horses.
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I can’t tell how many times I have worked on a personal injury claim that involves tripping as a result of a protrusion in the street; whether it is a raised paving slab, loose drain cover, or bit of metal struck it the concrete.  These accidents are every common and can cause significant injury to someone walking along without any knowledge of them.

Tripping accidents are seen mainly as a comical stereotypical claim taken on without a good reason – but it is important to understand that these kinds of accidents can often cause a great deal of pain and suffering to the person involved. Landing hard on a concrete floor can cause broken bones and serious damage to your body. This can involve you having to take time off work and incurring a loss of earnings or missing out on holidays booked, amongst many other inconveniences.

So it’s certainly something that shouldn’t be taken so lightly.
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In this sunny weather we have been having lately, you can imagine how embarrassing it would be after coming home from buying new garden furniture if the chair you just bought collapses from underneath you.

It is not uncommon for people to be injured as a result of these sorts of accidents involving defective products, and in many cases you have to just laugh off the embarrassment; but on occasions you should be contemplating what legal action could be available for you to take if you are injured. By law, any goods purchased should be to satisfactory according to the Sale and Supply of Goods and Services Act.

The Sale and Supply of Goods and Services Act provides the legal basis for ensuring the safety of consumers in the UK. You can also look at the European Product Safety Directive which makes it much easier to pursue a claim against a manufacturer of a product which causes an injury.
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Most people falsely believe that the reason our car insurance is rising so rapidly is as a result of personal injury claims for compensation. We’ve been telling people for years that there are deeper, darker secrets in the insurance world that are truly responsible for the huge increases we have seen over the last few years.

We were delighted when former Justice Secretary Mr Jack Straw brought the insurance companies ‘dirty little secret’ to light about referral fees as the real reason why our premiums were constantly on the rise; and even more delighted that the papers were passed through parliament and we are set to see referral fees banned sometime next April.  Now we have another factor brought to light – again, something we have been fully aware of for a long, long time.

The Background of Referral Fees
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The full extent of injuries sustained in an accident is often overlooked; even by the sufferer. Whichever the type of accident you have suffered, be it a road traffic accident, a slip or trip, or an accident at work, the chances are that you have probably suffered some type of psychological effect of the accident if the injury and circumstances are serious enough.

Whilst the pain and suffering of a whiplash injury is at the forefront of your mind following a road traffic accident, the effects of the accident can lead to travel anxiety and nervousness which in some cases can have just as much an effect on your daily lifestyle as a physical injury. But is this something to be ignored in the hope you will get over it?
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Employers have a legal obligation to provide all their employees with Manual Handling Training; if they don’t then they could be liable if an employee injures themselves when handling heavy / awkward objects. They must instruct all their employees on how to bend and lift in the right way, and ensure that heavier items are picked up using equipment to prevent an employee injuring themselves. However, commonly employers fail to conform to the rules surrounding the correct way of training their staff in manual handling techniques.

The most common injuries incurred as a result of negligence and / or none existent manual handling procedures are mostly to the back. The back is one of the most important parts of your body, and back pain could stop all aspects of your day to day life in its tracks. It can range from being an uncomfortable feeling in the affected area to unbearable and debilitating pain depending on the severity of the injury you have.

Manual handling affects everyone from factory workers to office staff; pretty much every job in one way another can include some form of manual handling.  Manual Handling is not just specified to lifting, but to pulling, pushing, carrying and lowering items.
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Falling from a height can rather obviously end up with some serious injuries sustained. I’m sure everyone knows that the higher the height, the more serious the injuries; and depending on what you’re falling on to could also make a huge difference.  For this reason, health and safety rules and regulations surrounding working at height, or accessing high places, or in areas where risks of falls are there, are numerous.

For example, anyone who has to work at height must have appropriate training, guidance, and supervision for the task they are doing at height. If you must use high catwalks, or perhaps access scaffolding, rails should be in place to prevent anyone from falling. If you need to access a height using a ladder, the correct ladders must be used to ensure you do not end up falling and seriously injuring yourself.

In a none workplace scenario – I’m sure you’ve all noticed that bridges have rails and guards in place: to stop you from falling over the edge. Staircases and stepped areas will normally have handrails to hold o to as well, which is all in the name of preventing a fall from height.
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There are many road traffic accidents occurring on roundabouts – and even though they may involve low speed collisions you can still be prone to whiplash injuries.

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident that was not your fault and have been injured as a result you have the right to claim for compensation.

Roundabouts can often seem like a very stressful and manic place to be, and if you are involved in an accident it can be difficult to determine who is at fault! The main failings that govern someone liable for roundabout accidents are:
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