Firms Must Do More to Reduce Rates of Avoidable Accidents at Work, Says Clear Law Solicitors

Accidents at work that occur in the UK but are easily avoidable need to be tackled by employers and health and safety organisations alike, according to personal injury compensation claims specialists Clear Law Solicitors.

It was recently revealed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness - that two companies from Bromsgrove have been fined after an employee had his index finger, thumb and majority of his middle finger severed in machinery.

The victim was working on behalf of the two businesses - Non-Flam (Sawdust) Co and KSR - and trapped his hand in the “running nip” between the two rotating rollers of a carding machine while trying to remove polypropylene fibres from the teeth of the rollers.

An investigation by the HSE found there were no measures taken to guard the machine, going against longstanding and easily available guidance on the matter, and that no risk assessment was made to identify potential hazards to employees.

As a result, Non-Flam (Sawdust) Co was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £8,000 costs, while KSR was fined £3,000 and also ordered to pay £8,000 costs.

HSE inspector Ritchie McCrae said: “This incident was entirely preventable and could have resulted in the loss of the man’s hand. Neither company identified this machine as hazardous and continued to allow employees to operate it. In so doing, they clearly failed to ensure the safety of their employees.”

Commenting on the news, Matt Corbett, Partner and personal injury claims solicitor at Clear Law Solicitors said: "Easily avoidable work-related injuries and accidents are not uncommon in the UK, and this latest case demonstrates how important it is for awareness of basic health and safety issues to be raised among firms.

“The severity of the injury sustained in this case proves just how vital compensation can be to victims of accidents at work. A successful compensation claim can considerably improve the quality of a sufferer’s life and fund essential costs such as medical treatment, rehabilitation and physiotherapy.”

Clear Law Solicitors specialise in personal injury and accident at work compensation claims. For more information about accident at work claims visit www.clearlawonline.co.uk/

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Matt Corbett

Solicitor

Clear Law Solicitors

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