There are loads of workplace regulations that are designed to protect employees from being injured during their course of their employment. When it comes to slips, trips, and falls, the most prominent piece of legislation is usually The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations which has a specific section that covers the condition of floors and traffic routes.
So if you have been the victim of a trip and / or fall due to getting your foot caught on something in the workplace, what are your rights?
Regulation 12 (3) states the following:
So far as is reasonably practicable, every floor in a workplace and the surface of every traffic route in a workplace shall be kept free from obstructions and from any article or substance which may cause a person to slip, trip or fall.
The above is quite clear in explaining where the responsibility lies to ensure there are no hazards on the floor that could cause a person to trip and / or fall. Bags left in traffic routes, wires trailing across walkways, or other such hazards can easily cause a person’s foot to get caught, which will likely result in a trip and / or a fall. When a foot is caught it is often difficult to try and avoid falling over once your weight has shifted.
Your employer must have policies and procedures in place to prevent such hazards forming in the workplace. There are many simple things that can be done, so if your employer fails to adopt them, they can be liable to compensate you.
You may have a claim if your employer:
- Doesn’t have a system for cleaning and inspection / maintenance of walkways and traffic routes
- Doesn’t have policies and procedures in place to prevent such hazards from forming
- Fails to train staff about such policies and their duties to prevent these sorts of accidents
- Allows such hazards to exist
If we can prove that your employer is in breach of these all important health and safety rules and regulations, we can win a claim for personal injury compensation. What you need to do is find a quality law firm like us to assist with the claim for you.
Making a claim for a workplace accident is easy – in most cases all we need to do is get a Claim Notification Form submitted electrically to either a head office or an insurance company and that can start the procedure. For expert help and advice, call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 7575 today.