As a partner on the Solicitor Search Network healthandsafetysolicitors.co.uk are a team of solicitors whose specialism is in health and safety issues. You might want to consult with them if you are:
- The victim of a health and safety breach and wish to seek compensation for the resultant loss/damage incurred
- You are an employer/employee and have inadvertently breached the regulations which has resulted in loss/damage for a colleague/employee or customer or member of the public
- You are an employer/business and require guidance on how to ensure your business meets the regulations.
Whilst it is legally recognised that we all have a responsibility towards safeguarding ourselves and others in the workplace, home, visiting businesses and the public place, what is not so clear is the level of care we should expect in return from others that we entrust with our well-being.
There are very strict regulations in place to safeguard people especially so in the workplace. Any accident injury you or others befall should be reported in the correct manner. Your employer is responsible for ensuring that you have all essential protective wear and equipment for doing the job safely and that you are aware of correct procedures/training. As an employee you must follow all guidelines and you cannot be asked to break any law i.e. driving faster than the speed limit to avoid lateness. A health issue as a result of your work can be slow to manifest itself, whilst an accident is very obvious some other injuries can develop over time such as lung problems, deafness or vibration injuries.
Stress is an increasing concern for employees and employers alike and covered in the Heath and Safety Act as legal recognition is given to the mental implications your work can have. Employees should report any stress related problems and request help to minimise the causes.
As an employer, however hard you try accidents/incidents will happen and it is important that you have done everything possible to prevent them – by consulting a health and safety advisor you can ensure that you have all procedures in place and follow the law so that if something happens you know you did your best to prevent it. Where a claim or case is made against you your solicitor will help you determine your level of responsibility and whether that was undermined by an employee/visitor deliberately ignoring your safeguards.
