Reforms oblige employers to report fewer workplace accidents

The number of workplace accidents that employers are obliged to report will reduce from April, following the introduction of reforms to health and safety laws.

From 6 April, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) employers will only have to report workplace accidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if a worker is incapacitated for more than seven days. At present, workers only have to be incapacitated for more than three days before employers are obliged to file a report.

The reforms will also extend the deadline for when employers have to file the report from 10 days to 15 days.

Employers are still required to keep a record of all over-three-day injuries. However, if the employer is obliged to keep an accident book, businesses with 10 or more staff, this record will be adequate. By law, records need to be kept for at least three years after an occupational accident or injury.

If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident at work in the past three years, call our specialist personal injury solicitors on 0800 0384 384 or click here to book a free no obligation meeting

Man loses fingertips in work accident

A man has lost his fingertips following an accident at work at a manufacturing factory at Stoke on Trent.

His employer was prosecuted after a 41-year-old employee, who wishes to remain nameless, cut off the tip of his middle finger on a circular saw when trimming metal parts.

Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) it was found that the system of work used to operate the saw was unsafe. The top guard was incorrectly positioned and basic protection devices were not being used.

Further, the injured person had not received proper training in how to use the device. Also, the machine was faulty in so far as the emergency stop control button failed to work.

The employer pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,105 costs.

Manufacturing jobs accounted 21% of all fatalities and 15% of reported injuries.

If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident at work in the past three years, call our specialist personal injury solicitors on 0800 0384 384 or click here to book a free no obligation meeting