| Health and Safety and Work Accidents | | | | accident to the Contact Centre of the Health and |
| When you are work you have the right to be | | | | Safety Executive (HSE). The following incidents should |
| protected from harm by your employers. Health and | | | | all be reported: |
| Safety laws place responsibilities on your employer to | | | | - There is a death |
| ensure your protection. The extent of work your | | | | - A serious injury is suffered on site such as broken |
| employer will need to undertake to discharge their | | | | arms, legs or skull fractures |
| responsibilities is dependent on the nature of your work | | | | - A dangerous incident occurs on site such as |
| and the potential hazards. For example, an employer | | | | scaffolding or a roof collapsing |
| of office staff will not have so many risks to be alert | | | | - Someone is injured and is unable to return to work |
| to as a factory or construction site employer. | | | | for more than three days |
| Your Employer's Health and Safety Responsibilities | | | | - There is a disease on site |
| Your employer has to carry out a risk assessment. | | | | Although it is your employer's obligation to report these |
| This will involved them looking at all aspects of the | | | | events, if they do not do so you can call the HSE to |
| workplace and seeing how employee's might come | | | | ensure that the event is properly investigated. |
| into harm as a result of machinery or working | | | | Sick pay |
| practices. Any problems highlighted should be rectified | | | | If you are absent from work as a result of the |
| as soon as possible to prevent any injuries to the | | | | accident you will be entitled to Sick Pay. This may only |
| workforce from being sustained. | | | | be statutory sick pay, although some employers |
| In addition the risk assessment, your employer must | | | | include a more generous scheme. You will be able to |
| also assess how many first aiders are required for the | | | | find whether this applies to you by checking your |
| size of the workforce and the risks of injury involved. | | | | contract or letter of employment. |
| The responsibility does not solely fall at the feet of the | | | | If you do lose earnings as a result of your accident |
| employer; every employee also has a responsibility to | | | | (including any lost bonuses or overtime), these can be |
| ensure their own health and safety. | | | | included as a part of any successful claim for |
| Accident Books | | | | compensation. |
| Every employer must keep an accident book. This is | | | | Claiming Compensation For Your Accident |
| used to record all accidents and injuries that occur on | | | | If the accident at work caused you to suffer an injury |
| site, even minor ones. This could be useful for you if | | | | that was more than trivial, you may well be entitled to |
| you subsequently decide to pursue a claim for | | | | claim compensation. This involves claiming |
| compensation as it is a record of the accident | | | | compensation for the pain and suffering experienced, |
| occurring. The details of any accidents should be | | | | but also includes a claim for any lost earnings, travel |
| recorded in the book as soon as possible after the | | | | expenses and any damaged clothing or other property. |
| event. | | | | Any successful claim for compensation will be paid by |
| Reporting Of Any Accidents or Incidents to the HSE | | | | your employer's insurance company, not from their |
| In many circumstances, your employer must report an | | | | profits. |