Employer negligence is when an employer has failed to provide a safe work environment which is considerate of their employee’s rights. Employer negligence is commonly linked to work injury claims. An employer may have been negligent for a number of reasons.
When may my employer have been negligent?
- They have not provided you with appropriate health and safety training. Your employer is bound to do this by law. They must provide you with adequate training, to the best of their ability, which allows you to complete your job in a safe environment.
- They have failed to maintain machinery or equipment. An employer must adhere to the guidelines provided by the machinery’s manufacturer as to the appropriate time gaps to be left between each service of the machine. If a machine is heavily used, an employer should increase the number of times a machine is servicing in line with the extra pressure it is under.
- You have been allowed to use faulty machinery or machinery which you have not been trained to use.
- The work environment is unsafe, e.g. trailing cables, uneven flooring, slippery flooring etc.
- You have not been provided with the correct safety equipment for your role.
- You have contracted a work related disease.
- An accident has occured involving vehicles has occurred in the work place.
- Negligent hiring – this is when an employer has hired an individual without conducting the appropriate background checks and they then go on to cause problems for the company or for other employees. When hiring for all job roles employers must verify work and educational histories, check references and conduct interviews. In some roles, such as for individuals who are going to be working with children, other checks such as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are vital. In some roles educational history will be extremely important: beauty therapists must have had the appropriate training in the techniques they are going to provide to the public.
How do I make a claim against my employer?
If any of these circumstances remind you of your own experiences, you may be able to make a work accident claim. Your employer has a responsibility to not only you, but all of their employees. Making a injury claim against your negligent employer will ensure you get the compensation you deserve and will also help ensure that none of your other workmates will have the same experience you have.
To make a work injury claim against your employer you should contact a work accident solicitor as soon as you are healthy enough to. You should also make sure that you can keep a record of your injuries and how they progress from the start; this could be in the form of a written or photographic diary. This will help support your claim. Ensure you keep records of any outgoings you have – you will be able to claim back expenses such as prescriptions, care fees and travel to and from appointments.
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Freeman Harris specialise in employment law claims. Get in touch with one of our specialist team today so we can discuss your options with you. Contact us either online via this enquiry form or call us on 0207 790 7311. All initial enquiries are completely free of charge and you are under no obligation to continue.