Today is a Friday – so most of the country (I imagine) is waiting for 5’o-clock to hit so they can escape the workplace and wind down after a week of working hard. Obviously we’re not – we’re open until 10pm tonight and 9am – 5pm over the weekend (and on the bank holiday) because we’re a little crazy and like to be as accessible as possible to our clients!
But the point I’m making is that the last thing anyone expects is to be going about their daily working business and suddenly slip over and injure themselves at work.
There are specific regulations that employers must abide by to make sure that you’re not injured in the workplace. Regulations 5 and 9 of The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 stipulate that the workplace should be in a state of good repair, clean, and waste materials shall not be allowed to accumulate in traffic routes.
So if you slip over due to there being some form of substance on the floor such as water, oil, or even a mushy solid substance like fruit, you may have a claim for personal injury compensation.
Do I have a claim?
Whether you have a slip injury claim or not depends on whether we can prove there has been a breach of the workplace regulations mentioned above. Your employer’s duty is to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the regulations are not breached. A common way of doing this is by having a system of inspection and maintenance so that any potential hazards are spotted and cleared away as soon as possible.
There are other circumstances where it’s not just down to whether they have maintained the workplace or not.
For example: If a colleague was mopping the floor and failed to erect signs warning of the danger, this is more a matter of a poor system of work if your employer doesn’t have a procedure for erecting signs, or vicarious liability if the colleague mopping the floor forgot to put the signs up.
Vicarious liability means that the negligence of a colleague falls on your employer; so your employer is still potentially liable to pay you out.
Preventing a slipping hazard could come down to personal protective equipment (PPE). You may work in an area where a slipping hazard is unavoidable – such as if your job is to repair leaks, or if you work in a zoo and work with animals that live in a habitat with water in it. Your employer should provide you with proper footwear that has enough grip to limit you from slipping as much as possible.
How does claiming from my employer work?
Your employer has a legal obligation to have a policy of employer’s liability insurance. This covers them for claims being made against them. The insurance exists for the sole purpose of claiming from, so you have nothing to worry about when it comes to starting a case.
You are also protected by law, so don’t worry about the effects of making a work injury claim. Nowadays most employers tell their employees to get a lawyer and put a claim in – the insurance is there to be claimed form and you have been injured at work through no fault of you own. It is your right to claim the compensation you are owed by law.
Give us a call on our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today.
