Every year in the UK, 1,300 workers are hospitalised as a result of suffering serious injuries following forklift truck accidents, and the numbers are increasing. That’s 5 workers everyday suffering potentially life-changing injuries including amputations, complex fractures and dislocations.
The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics reveal forklifts are officially the most dangerous form of workplace transport in Britain, injuring more people compared to HGVs or LGVs. In fact, 25% of workplace transport injuries are as a direct result of forklift truck accidents.
Pedestrians also continue to be at risk, accounting for 57% of those injured or killed in forklift truck accidents. This reiterates the importance of securing employees’ safety amongst forklift truck operatives. It’s a particularly pressing issue in high-traffic areas such as loading bays, where pedestrians and forklift trucks are in proximity.
Devastating lives
Due to the sheer size and nature of forklift trucks, there are rarely minor injuries and often, you don’t walk away from a forklift truck accident. The resulting injuries can devastate lives, not just of the injured; the lives of loved ones, friends and colleagues can also change in a heartbeat.
Powered pallet trucks can also cause serious injuries.
Every year, hundreds of workers suffer lower body injuries as a result of pallet truck accidents. Despite being smaller in size, employers can become complacent about the need to provide operators with adequate training, increasing the risks to operators and pedestrians alike.
Employee rights
The number of senior managers and company directors prosecuted under health and safety laws has risen significantly in recent years, reaching a six year high in 2015/16. The message from the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) is strong and clear: health and safety violations will be taken seriously and no one is above the law.
If an employer fails to provide and maintain a safe working environment, adequate training or safety equipment and someone is injured, they are rightly held accountable.
Pursuing a claim in the event of a forklift truck accident
In the UK, organisations are legally required to have Employers’ Liability Insurance to ensure they are covered in the event of an accident in the workplace. This means that if you are injured in the workplace and successfully pursue a claim for compensation, the insurer will pay out.
How much compensation for a forklift truck injury?
At Work Claims Bureau, we have years of experience in winning compensation for workers who have turned to us for help. Our solicitors successfully represent clients making crush injury claims, head injury claims, broken bone injury claims through to more severe, complex cases.
If you have been involved in a forklift truck accident, the most accurate way to determine how much compensation you could be entitled to is to seek advice directly from a No Win No Fee accident at work solicitor.
For more information, or if you would like to make a forklift truck accident claim, contact us directly today to speak to an expert solicitor on 0808 265 5184. All claims are handled in the strictest of confidence and on a No Win No Fee basis.
