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Month: November 2019

Chemical Accidents At Work Causing Blindness

Posted on by Jonathon

Man Blinded by Chemical Accident

It has been recently reported that a man has been left permanently blinded due to a corrosive chemical. The incident happened whilst he was cleaning however he was provided with a faulty pump sprayer causing the chemical DM CiD (a substance commonly found in disinfectant) to burst into his face and eyes. The incident occurred on a farm in North Dean, Buckinghamshire, subsequently the business was fined £8,000 and has been ordered to pay around £12,000 in costs.

This is only one of many incidents which occur across the UK. As the incident is so serious The Compensation Experts team have decided to highlight the potential chemical hazards in a workplace and how we can help if this happens to you.

Potential Chemical Hazards

Workers face a sizeable risk when working with dangerous chemicals if, for example, the equipment provided by a company is faulty. In many cases, this is the primary cause of chemical accidents. Due to the high risk of serious injury to a person for chemical-related accidents, it is very important to have emergency services available as a top priority for a business owner. Whilst direct contact with dangerous chemicals is a big risk factor for chemical accidents, there are various other scenarios which create potential chemical hazards. Improperly stored chemicals pose a leakage threat for workers whilst asbestos can always be present on construction sites where a building is being demolished or renovated.

All of these situations can have a detrimental effect on health and wellbeing. They can cause conditions and issues such as the following:

  • Asbestosis
  • Lung cancer
  • Brain damage
  • Chemical burns
  • Heavy metals poisoning
  • Nerve damage
  • Death

Fortunately, there are ways of preventing such incidences from occurring by using personal protective equipment (PPE). When working with chemicals it is vital to protect yourself hence items of PPE should be worn at all items. Some of these are items such as gloves, chemical resistant coveralls, protective boots. There is a lot more PPE available, however, even these cannot always prevent accidents and injuries from occurring.

When chemical accidents occur, it is imperative to report them to your boss/manager and seek appropriate support. If you are alone you must get medical attention immediately. In order to see if you are eligible for compensation regarding a work-related injury involving a hazardous substance, the best option is to seek guidance from compensation experts such as ourselves.

The Compensation Experts

We work with some of the leading solicitors in the UK and can assist you if you are thinking of claiming for compensation. We work on a strict no win, no fee basis which means that you are risk-free and not financially obligated when initially making a claim. This allows you to make a claim for the compensation that you deserve.

If you have suffered an injury relating to a chemical accident and you would like to explore your options for compensation, contact us today for a free consultation to explore your eligibility to make a claim. Call us on freephone: 0161 413 8765

Personal Injury in the construction industry – Failure in training leads to incorrectly installed safety decking

Posted on by Jonathon

A construction firm based in Hitchin that failed to train their operatives on installing safety decking has caused a serious personal injury to one of its employees according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The employee, a carpenter, was injured when attempting to work on a brace that was supporting trusses. One of the braces then fell causing the carpenter to fall with it leading to a number of compensable injuries.

The firm responsible has now been investigated by the HSE and found guilty of contravening regulations relating to the Work at Height Regulations. Sadly, during the investigation, the HSE discovered that the safety decking that is supposed to help prevent serious injuries when falling from heights had not been installed correctly. The incorrect installation was a result of employees not being correctly trained on how to set up safety decking leading to ‘significant gaps’.

The 36-year-old employee has reportedly suffered nerve and tissue damage along with whiplash and a gash in his little finger. The nerve damage has affected his back which is likely to cause problems later in life. Back injuries are extremely common in the construction industry however this is usually due to heavy lifting and straining repetitively whilst on site. Compensation is available for these types of conditions and depending on the severity can run into the hundreds of thousands. It is unclear at this stage whether the injured carpenter is pursuing a compensation claim against the construction firm in question.

It is important for employees to pursue compensation for personal injury where possible. This is due to a couple of reason – the first being that it highlights potential issues to an employer so that measures can be taken to ensure no one else is injured. Secondly, injured employees can find themselves out of work with their injuries for considerable periods so money is required to maintain a sustainable lifestyle. Injuries can mean changes and adaptations to a person’s lifestyle and home which also cost money that the compensation awarded will cover.

The Hitchin based construction firm, in this case, were sentenced earlier this year for the health and safety failings and were fined just over £71,000 (inclusive of legal costs).

An HSE inspector commented on the case with following ‘This incident could so easily have been avoided by planning work at height to ensure that suitable and sufficient measures were in place to prevent falls.’

‘Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.’

Unfortunately, incidents like this are all too common and The Compensation Experts come across cases like these on a daily basis. Our experts are trained on how to deal with these types of claims and the solicitors we work with are some of the best in the country for personal injury claims. If you or someone you know have had a similar experience in the workplace, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team and find out how we can help you.