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Whilst at work your employer must ensure that your working
conditions are safe for you to carry out your job. This includes
ensuring that all your equipment is safe and appropriate,
that you are not asked to carry out tasks that are beyond
your skills (if that would make it unsafe for you to do them),
and that you are properly trained to carry out any tasks that
are part of your job and which may put you at risk of injury
if not carried out properly - such as lifting heavy items.
There are numerous laws in place that set out what employers
are obliged to do (or not do), as well as court cases which
have also established guidelines for good working practices.
All in all, this means that it is quite onerous to be an employer
these days!
There are many circumstances in which an employer may be
found liable by a court for an accident suffered by an employee
and it is important that you contact us to seek advice on
the individual circumstances of your accident as soon as possible.
What if I have been sacked or demoted or have some other
grievance against my employer?
In this case it is even more important that you seek advice
immediately. This type of claim will usually involve an Employment
Tribunal, and the time limit for such claims is quite short
- 3 months in most cases. We do not deal directly in employment
law, but can refer you for specialist help where necessary.
Who will pay for my claim if I am successful?
By law, your employer must also have insurance cover for
incidents that they may be liable for - this is called Employer's
Liability Insurance. A certificate of this insurance must
be displayed prominently in your workplace. If you have an
accident it is often a good idea to find this certificate
and note down the name of the insurer and the policy number.
Unfortunately, there are still a number of (usually smaller)
employers who break the law and do not have this cover. This
can make it difficult to make a claim if your employer does
not have the funds to pay compensation and the legal fees
ordered against them.
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