Protecting young people from work accidents
That young people are our future' is one of those unchangeable clichs. It is a clich simply because it is true. Yet young people are often at risk of suffering a work accident injury before they have even really begun their careers.
One of the most troubling aspects of work accident injuries for young people is that they come so early in the young person's life. While it is certainly true that an accident at work injury for an older member of the workforce can have tragic implications, for an older person at least this often comes towards the end of their working lives. In contrast, a young person suffering a work injury may be deprived of the opportunity to earn their pension.
It is worth remembering that for a young person who is relatively new to the workforce, there is a risk their youth and innocence might be exploited by a cynical employment market. This can result in work accidents which often have a lasting impact.
Against the background of an evolving workplace it is useful to have a look at the potential work accident dangers facing young people today.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
According to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) the present generation of young workers face a potential epidemic of RSI.
The Health and Safety Executive report that young people in the workforce are most at risk on all of the four major risk factors for RSI: incorrect posture, use of force, repetition of speed, and lack of control over the work environment.
Young people face a new kind of work environment which is unprecedented in its technological focus. This means that a work accident for these largely deskbound office based workers is a long and gruelling process rather than the traditionally common one fell swoop work accident.'
The TUC believes that eventually the UK economy could be faced with a devastating situation where millions have suffered this kind of work injury and are unfit for work.
Summer job work accidents
What should be an occasion for celebration is, in fact, an issue of national concern.
Summer jobs represent, for many young people, their induction into the UK workforce. However, because of the temporary nature of summer jobs, employers often take shortcuts in basic health and safety training, leading to a disproportionate number of work accidents.
General Secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber says, "Summer jobs are a great way for young people to gain some extra cash and important work and life experience. But they are not worth dying for. No young person should die or be seriously injured this summer because their employer failed to take simple steps to ensure their safety. And no young person's first job should be their last."
Labouring and construction industry work accidents
This is one of the most work accident prone employment sectors in the UK.
Young people are prized in these industries, simply because their youthful strength and energy is perceived to be such an invaluable commodity. It is a cruel irony that this is what so many stand to lose if they suffer a work accident. For those who do, a personal injury compensation claim often stands as their only chance at reclaiming a normal life.
A look at the Health and Safety Executive statistics for work accidents in the construction industry for the period 2005/2006 demonstrates why this is such a pressing concern:
- 981 significant work injuries caused by slips, trips or falls;
- 917 significant work injuries caused by falls from height;
- 577 significant work injuries while handling, lifting or carrying;
- 572 significant work injuries caused by struck flying/falling object.
Work accident injuries and a culture of fear The work accident journal Hazards has recently revealed that over a third of British workers do not believe they will have the physical capacity to carry out their jobs when they reach the age of 60 because of RSI problems, work accident problems, or just general ill health.
This could have catastrophic implications for the UK economy where there is already an ageing population.
It is clear that more needs to be done to promote workplace health and reduce the incidence of work accidents and work accident hazards.
No win, no fee compensation for work accident claims If you are one of the 1.6million who've suffered a work injury through an accident in the workplace this year then you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Claiming is your right. For many who've suffered pain or loss of earnings then it is also more than that it is a necessity.
Making a no win, no fee claim with us is a simple process. Fortunately, throughout no stage of the claim do you risk incurring any kind of fee. It's that simple: win or lose you pay us nothing. We take out an insurance policy that covers our expenses.
At YouClaim, we have a strong relationship with a team of solicitors who have an excellent success rate in dealing with similar claims. So we have the experience and expertise to go with our ethical approach to compensation claims.
If you wish to investigate making a no win, no fee accident at work compensation claim with us today, you can follow one of several simple steps. Fill out an online claim form, request a call back at a time that suits you, or call us for free on 0800 10 757 95.
