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compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
Call: 0800 10 757 95
Tree felling is a potentially dangerous occupation and when employers fail to manage the risks associated with this activity, those adversely affected may be entitled to receive catastrophic injury compensation.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), between 2003 to 2004 and 2007 to 2008, 22 employees died during tree work, around 400 suffered major personal injury, and 673 had to take at least three days off work due to an accident.
Because tree felling can be hazardous, employers must take suitable precautions to minimise harm to their workers.
Before allowing tree work to commence, duty-holders should carry out an initial site survey. This allows employers to select appropriate equipment and allocate competent staff.
Afterwards, managers should carry out a risk assessment to uncover hazards and take appropriate steps to reduce or eliminate dangers. If a task cannot be carried out in a reasonably safe manner, employees should not continue until suitable precautions are in place.
Depending on the type of work, these could include:
If these systems are used, employers should make sure they are suitable, well maintained and fit for purpose.
Even if an employer has taken all reasonably sensible precautions, accidents may still occur. Duty-holders should plan escape routes in advance, ensure they are free of obstructions and make sure employees understand what to do in the event of an emergency.
In 2012, a duty-holder was fined £10,000 after one of his employees was crushed to death during a tree felling operation.
The worker was using a tractor to control the direction of a tree's fall as it was being felled. However the tree fell in an unexpected location and overturned the vehicle, killing the employee instantly.
An HSE investigation found the duty holder had not provided adequate training to his staff members or implemented suitable safety precautions.
If these measures had been carried out, the worker may have still be alive today.
Tree felling is a high risk occupation and anyone involved in this activity should be competent, experienced, well trained and given appropriate safety equipment.
If an employer fails to ensure this, and someone suffers as a result, those adversely affected may be entitled to compensation providing the accident was not their fault.
At YouClaim, we have helped many employees who have suffered injury at work receive the funds they deserve – and we never charged them a penny.
To find out if you can claim catastrophic injury compensation, please call 0800 10 757 95 to speak to one of our legal advisors.
