Lifting Accidents at Work

Lifting or manual handling accidents in the workplace are the most common causes of personal injuries at work.  According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) more than one third of all accident injuries at work which require at least 3 days off work, involve lifting or manual handling.  

Lifting accidents at work are not limited to accidents on building sites and in factories. All employees that carry out lifting or manual handling activities of any kind at work are potentially at risk of a lifting injury, whether they work in an office, a school, a restaurant, a building site, a factory or a shop.

Although it is not possible to prevent all lifting and manual handling injuries at work, an employer has a duty of care to take steps to minimise the risk of employees sustaining injuries through lifting and manual handling.

An employer should minimise the risk of lifting and manual handling injuries by carrying out risk assessments at work and ensuring that whenever manual lifting cannot be avoided, employees are adequately trained to lift items in the correct manner.

If you have suffered an injury at work through lifting or manual handling, you may be entitled to make a no win no fee compensation claim.  Contact National Accident Helpline on 0800 6783 601 or complete our online personal injury claim form.

Who pays the compensation for a lifting injury at work?

Your employer is legally obliged to take out insurance cover, known as Employers Liability Insurance, in case of accidents at work.  If you are successful in making a no win no fee personal injury claim for an injury you have sustained through lifting or manual handling, it is the company’s insurers who would pay the compensation awarded, not your employer.

How long do I have to make a lifting injury claim?

In order to make a lifting injury claim on a no win no fee basis, the claim must be made within three years from the actual date of the accident. If you are under the age of 18 at the time of the lifting accident, the three year period would start when you turn 18. The three year period may also be extended if your injury only became apparent at a later date. In these cases the three year period may begin on the date you became aware of the injury sustained through lifting. 

Will I loose my job if I make a claim against my employer?

It is not a legally justifiable reason for your employer to dismiss you on the grounds that you are making a compensation claim for an accident that you have had at work. If your employer did dismiss you on these grounds, it could amount to unfair dismissal. If this has happened you should contact a specialist employment solicitor.