Asbestos is a group of long fibre minerals that were used in many buildings in the 20th century. It is often used in ceiling tiles and was even used in brake pads. It has been illegal to use in the UK since 1999 and is now illegal in EU member states. However, it still exists in many buildings throughout the UK, so care needs to be taken; particularly for builders working in buildings with asbestos.
When the asbestos is undamaged it apparently poses no risk to your health. However, even the slightest damage, such as a chip, can cause it to start releasing dust particles. These dust fibres can then be breathed in by everyone in the building. It is this dust that carries many health risks as it works its way into your lungs and causes potentially serious damage.
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Lifting heavy objects has the potential to cause severe injury that can leave you suffering for weeks or even months after an incident. Even if an object is well within your capabilities to lift you should always apply correct lifting techniques to prevent injury. This should be covered by your employer in your health and safety training; if it wasn’t, you may have a claim for compensation if you end up injuring yourself.
Usually the correct lifting technique requires you to keep your back straight and use your legs (which have much stronger muscles than your lower back) to perform the lift. Always follow any training provided by your employer as it will help reduce the chances of suffering injury, and some of the training may be specific to your job and the types of objects you will be lifting.
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“No Win No Fee” personal injury claims are advertised everywhere nowadays; but what does this actually mean?
A “No Win No Fee” is exactly as it sounds; if your solicitor does not win your case for you, you will not be charged for their services. The reason solicitors are able to offer this service is because they would not take on a personal injury claim if they do not think they have a good enough chance of winning it. At The Injury Lawyers we offer this service, meaning you’ll never have to pay us penny.
Receive 100% of the compensation – how does the solicitor get paid?
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What constitutes a dangerous working practise?
There are many obvious cases of dangerous activities at work, such as working at height, but a dangerous working practise would be carrying out these activities without the proper safety equipment to reduce the chance of injury. Not having good site order is classed as a dangerous working practise – this is particularly important in the construction industry. Similarly, machinery should always be fitted with guards, especially around any moving parts, and stairs and walkways should be clear from obstacles. All companies should have a health and safety procedure that you should be informed of when starting your employment. Any changes to this procedure should also be distributed to staff.
What steps can you take at work to prevent injury?
If you feel that an activity at work is not safe to carry out, inform your employer about it immediately. It’s always better to prevent an injury before it happens. Advising your employer about improved safety equipment could save them money against costly insurance claims. Always ensure that you use the safety equipment provided, as failure to do so can prevent you from making a claim. Although your employer should enforce that safety equipment be used, it can be negligent on your part for not using it.
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If you have suffered an accident at work using equipment that you were not properly trained on, regardless of your previous experience, you may agree it is one of the most easily avoidable types of accident.
Your employer has a duty to maintain your health and safety whilst you are working; this includes providing training on all equipment that you will be using during your working time. Even if you’re experienced in a particular job or piece of equipment, your employer must cover how to use the equipment safely; slight differences in machines can lead to injuries that are easily avoidable. This does not just relate to new employees – you can have worked for a company for 20 years, but if you’re instructed to use equipment that you are not familiar with, proper training should always be provided.
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Dog bites against humans are rising in the UK. A 2008 NHS report showed that dog bites had increased by 40% in just 4 years to nearly 3,800 cases. There is much talk about certain breeds being more dangerous than others, but that aside there are many things that can trigger a dog attack. 77% of dog bites occur with friends or family pets, and 50% of these occur in the owner’s home. These are remarkable statistics!
One of the more disturbing facts is that dog bites are not uncommon against children. This fits in with the pack mentality that dogs still inhibit. They want to climb the hierarchy within the pack and will often seek dominance over weaker or vulnerable people.
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Slips and trips happen to everyone – depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation. When they occur in the supermarket they can be trickier to claim for – after all, the other side will do everything possible to prevent having to pay out for your compensation. The supermarket needs to demonstrate that it did everything that is reasonably expected to prevent the injury in order to defend a claim. So, to you and me, that means that they have to prove that they took steps to look after customer’s safety – e.g. checking aisles for spillages on a regular basis, or only stacking products safely with proper procedures and training in place for staff.
Most victims of slips or trips claims in supermarkets believe that the store should have done more to prevent it happening. But ultimately, in a court of law, the supermarket is not obliged to go over and above expectations to prevent a slip accident. In terms of the business it would cost them too much to have someone watching all the aisles all of the time. However, they are required to carry out routine checks and use warning signs when a hazard is identified. One example you might see often is the wet floor signs on the premises. In many premises they will also have signs up for staff to fill in after routine checks – these are usually most visible in toilets but they will have the same checklist for the store as well.
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