Manual handling Accidents

Manual handling accidents at work are a common reason for personal injury claims arising from an injury at work. Many of these types of accidents could have been prevented by employers providing the correct lifting equipment, appropriate training, or putting better procedures in place to minimise the risk of injury when performing a manual handling task at work.

Manual handling is any act which involves carrying, lowering, or lifting a load by hand or by using bodily force. Manual handling is a necessary task for many types of work; however, these tasks pose the risk of sustaining an injury if they are not carried out correctly by employees.

Injuries Sustained due to Manual Handling Accidents

Injuries sustained due to a manual handling accident can be severe and can seriously disrupt a person’s life. Manual handling injuries usually cause damage to the neck, back, shoulders, arms, or spine; some injuries may cause permanent damage or extreme pain for a prolonged period of time. Serious back injuries may lead to issues with employment, as well as impacting a person’s long term physical and mental health, and their overall enjoyment of life.

Manual Handling Accidents and Your Employers Duties

It is an employer’s duty to create safe working environments for all employees. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 set out rules for employers to follow in regard to all manual handling activities. Under these regulations, manual handling is defined as:

“…any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force“.

Under these regulations, your employer should avoid the need for any manual handling at work. Where manual handling is required, your employer is under a duty to take steps to reduce the risk. Manual handling regulations seek to prevent injury where human effort is needed to lift, move, steady, or position a load in the workplace. Your employer is obligated to carry out a thorough risk assessment to establish whether there are any risks of injury as a result of manual handling in the workplace. If risks exist, your employer must put plans into place, which will help eradicate or greatly diminish the risk of injury.

What to Do Following a Manual Handling Accident at Work

If you have sustained an injury following a manual handling accident at work, you should attend your G.P. or hospital to have the injury assessed by a medical professional. You should also report the accident to a manager or supervisor and make sure that the incident has been recorded in an accident book. It would be useful to obtain a copy of the incident report and gather witness statements and photographic evidence if possible.

Making a Claim for Manual Handling Accidents at Work

Has your employer asked you to lift things in the workplace which were too heavy for you? Have you sustained an injury as a result of not being provided with the appropriate equipment to lift heavy weights? Should you have been provided with a trolley or hoist to assist you with lifting heavy items? Have your employers failed to provide you with training on how to lift heavy weights? Have your employers failed to follow the strict health and safety guidelines on lifting?

If you answer “yes” to one of the above questions, then you have the basis of a claim for compensation. 

Your employer cannot terminate your employment or treat you badly solely because you are making a claim against them. Your employer should have employer’s liability insurance in place to cover them in the event any of their employees are injured due to their negligence or a breach of statutory duty. You should, therefore, appreciate that your employer’s insurers will cover any claim, and not your employer’s directly.

How Can Beacon Law Assist?

If you have suffered an injury as a result of your employer’s failure to comply with manual handling regulations, then please contact us on 0330 1332 857 or complete our claim form and we shall call you back.

Beacon Law are an experienced firm of Personal Injury Solicitors, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. To find out about our no win, no fee funding, have a look at the funding section on our website.